Protection
by Arwen4eva
Summary: When 12 Panem teenagers are transferred to a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, their lives seem to change for the better. For Toby, life-immunity from the Hunger Games and an opportunity to learn magic seems too good to be true. Friendships and romance blossoms but could they be broken with the calling of a name? GinnyxOC. Complete AU! I DO NOT OWN HUNGER GAMES OR HARRY POTTER!
1. Chapter 1 - Hogwarts and Panem

**A/N: Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas with family and/or friends! This story is one that one of my friends influenced and I have enjoyed writing this and planning the future chapters.**

 **The plan is to update this story once a month, dates scattered, as it means that I can work around my other commitments and stories and my friend thought that he would like it done that way. So once a month, he will get his copy and then it will be posted on here!**

 **Do enjoy the first instalment of the story!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

District Four: Fishing. That is where Toby lives, for now anyway.

His sea green eyes squint at the bright sun reflecting off the water in front of him as he removes a few fish from the net. His mind is still reeling from the information he was told about the mysterious school he is being transferred to; Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

 _'_ _A school like that probably doesn't even exist.'_ Toby thinks. _'Magic is not real. If it was, the Districts would not be in the horrible situation we are. It is like they are not even aware of the yearly horror we go through with the bloody Hunger Games.'_

"Toby! No slacking. If you are getting out of here, you can finish a decent day's work!" Frederick shouts from across the docks. Toby looks up and his mentor and smiles apologetically.

"Sorry, Fred!" Toby shouts back and pulls out the last fish from inside the net before going on to the next one.

 _'_ _I will have to think about that later.'_ He thinks, continuing on with his work.

…

"My name is Professor McGonagall and I am Headmistress of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." A woman, now named McGonagall, shouts across in a small room of twelve Panem teenagers. "You have all been selected, one from each of your districts, to become a student at Hogwarts. This means that you will all receive immunity from the Hunger Games for the rest of your lives, whatever this Hunger Games is."

Many of the teenagers whoop in joy to hear those words, however Toby just smiles.

 _'_ _Nice to know that I will not have to fight to the death, but everyone else will.'_ He thinks. However, he pushes that thought to the back of his mind and curiosity engages.

"Why are we going to this Hogwarts school?" a girl, clearly from an outcast district like 11 as she has leaves entwined in her hair, asks quietly.

"My dear child, you all have special attributes that make you suitable to come and join us at Hogwarts. You all have talent to learn alongside children of witches and wizards, or muggles like yourself. You will learn our ways and the magic that surrounds our lives." McGonagall says, a smile on her face. "Now, we need you all to huddle close and prepare yourselves. We need to disapperate out of here to get to Hogwarts."

The teenagers all huddle together, Toby ending up next to the District 11 girl, and McGonagall says two words before the world spirals out of control:

"Hold on."

...

"That was horrible." Toby says, sitting up from where he had fallen over. He looks around and sees stone walls surround him with moving pictures hanging periodically. Flames illuminate the corridors and he looks forwards to see two large, wooden doors.

"Before we take you into the Great Hall, there are a few things I wish to talk to you about." McGonagall says, capturing the attention of the disorientated teenagers. "When we go in, I will call out your district and you will sit on the stool provided where the Sorting Hat will tell you which house you are in. There are four houses; Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. You will be sorted into the one best suited to you. From there, the prefects will guide you to your dormitories where you have robes waiting for you. Wands will be provided after a small practical exam tomorrow morning. Your lessons will begin tomorrow afternoon. Good luck."

McGonagall then turns around and walks through the opening doors. Toby is in the front of the group with two others and they walk in to see four very long tables spanning across the Great Hall, all filled with students. Many give the group strange looks whilst others smile encouragingly. After a minute, they are all bunched before the small set of steps where on the top, a stool is standing with a floppy, ancient hat seated upon it.

"We shall start from the beginning, and work our way through. District One." McGonagall says and a very confident boy struts forward.

 _'_ _Definitely District One. Probably disappointed about never being able to be in the Hunger Games to show off his murderous abilities.'_ Toby thinks.

The Sorting Hat is placed upon the boy's head and immediately shouts out, "Slytherin!" The latter house begins to clap and cheer and the boy struts over and sits on an empty section of the bench.

"District Two." A small, frail girl walks up and is sorted into Hufflepuff.

"District Three." An older boy, large glasses slipping off his nose, walks up and after a minute is sorted into Ravenclaw.

"District Four." Toby takes a deep breath and then walks up the steps before sitting on the wooden stool. He hears the Sorting Hat muttering away loudly but no one else seems to register its words.

 _Strong, full of courage, kind-hearted and full of promise. I know just where to put you…_

"Gryffindor!" The hat is removed from Toby's head and he stands and walks over to the table where the students are clapping.

He sits next to a girl with fire-y red hair. He smiles at her and shakes the hand that she has outstretched.

"I'm Ginny." She says.

"Hi. I'm Toby."

"Nice to meet you, Toby."

The rest of the group is sorted into their houses and then, once McGonagall has said a few words, huge amounts of food appears on the tables. Toby is taken aback as he sees the array of food before him.

"What?" Ginny asks, seeing his reaction.

"I have never seen so much food in all of my life. Especially so much variety as all I see is fish." Toby says and watches as everyone else dig in and put plenty of food on their silver plates. He sees that there is chicken in front of him so he grabs 2 legs and puts them on his plate.

 _'_ _Too much to choose from.'_ Toby thinks, agonising over the other choices.

"You could just eat chicken all evening if you wanted to. That was what my brother, or one of them, used to do. If there was chicken in front of him, he would eat it all." Ginny says. Toby laughs slightly and just looks around seeing the girl from District 6 and the boy from District 12 were sorted into Gryffindor and like him, are struggling on what to eat.

"But then I wouldn't want chicken again. If you have too much of something, like fish, you do not want to eat it again."

"Fair enough." Ginny says and then takes a quick look at Toby's body. "How fast are you?" she suddenly asks.

"Pretty fast in water, I suppose. Comes with the job I had. Why?" Toby asks and looks at Ginny whilst munching on his first chicken leg.

"I need someone fast on my Quidditch team to be the new seeker."

"What on earth is Quidditch?" Toby asks, completely confused.

"Before you came here, were you told anything about the Wizarding World?" Ginny asks, taken aback about Toby's lack of knowledge.

"No. Just that we would be going to a wizarding school and that we would have life immunity from the Hunger Games."

"What is the Hunger Games?" Ginny asks, turning to face Toby more as she grows more intrigued.

Toby takes in a deep breath and slowly releases it. He takes another bite of his chicken leg too to bide more time. Finally, he gives Ginny an answer.

"That is a story for another day. Perhaps you could tell me about this Quidditch thing."

….

"That's it. Now, do not lean too far to the right otherwise you will be completely off balance." Ginny instructs as Toby hovers above her. He nods and then does another circuit around the Quidditch pitch on his broom, taking Ginny's words into action. He leans a bit too much in the first corner but quickly learns and leans less on the next turn, going around the corner perfectly. He flies back to Ginny who has a smile on her face.

"How was that? I think I am doing alright after 3 months of this." Toby asks.

"Not too bad. Now, tomorrow we will practise properly with the snitch, despite the accident last time. I think we are done today though." Ginny says and mounts her broom, raising up to Toby's level with a swift kick to the ground.

"Are we doing the customary finish-training-and-then-see-who-is-fastest lap?" Toby asks, getting ready to fly.

"Maybe. Once you beat me, I know that you are ready to officially become Gryffindor's seeker. Until then, well, you need to keep trying." Ginny says with a wink. They both fly up higher and ready themselves.

"Three." Ginny says.

"Two." Toby says, gripping his broom tight.

"One … Go!"

They both fly off at speed but Ginny snatches the lead in a split second. Toby flies close behind her, keeping hot on her tail and searching for the one moment where he can overtake her. Around the third corner, Toby seeks his opportunity. He pushes down on the broom, encouraging it to move faster and as they round the corner he glides past her, sneaking in front. As the final corner and home straight arrive, Ginny attempts to regain the lead to no avail.

"And he has done it!" Toby shouts as they reach their finish mark. "I have finally beaten you!"

"Yes, you have." Ginny says, her cheeks flushes from the chill in the air.

They descend to the ground and dismount their brooms.

"Should we head back so we have enough time to change before dinner?" Toby asks Ginny who nods in reply.

"We need to put these back anyway." Ginny says, gesturing to the brooms in their hands.

The silently make their way to the Gryffindor changing rooms where the broom cupboard is. Ginny removes her wand and recites the small spell specifically designed to lock and unlock the cupboard, keeping the brooms within secure.

Toby places his broom inside and sits down on a nearby bench. He watches as Ginny stands and just stares inside the dark cupboard, her broom dangling in her hand.

"Ginny? Are you alright?" Toby asks, standing again and going over to Ginny. He places his hand on her shoulder and she turns around. "What's wrong?"

Ginny does not answer and instead, kisses Toby with force. Toby, surprised at Ginny's actions, for a moment stands still and does nothing but allow Ginny to kiss him. After that moment passes, he responds to Ginny's kiss, wrapping his arms around her slim waist as her free hand rests on his chest, the other still holding the broom.

After a few seconds, the broom clatters to the floor as Ginny wraps her arms around Toby's neck, pushing her body closer to his.

For a moment, Ginny breaks the kiss and pulls Toby into the broom cupboard behind her. But they quickly resume their actions…

….

"You know, you still haven't told me what the Hunger Games are. That is something you haven't mentioned at all." Ginny says as she sits beside Toby on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. It is late at night and many of the others have gone up to bed.

"There is a good reason." Toby says, rolling up the parchment he was looking at in preparation for his potions lesson the next morning.

"Why? It cannot be that bad, surely." Ginny says, turning her body towards Toby to show she is ready to listen.

"Alright." Toby takes a deep breath and decides where to start. "Many years ago, there was a huge uprising by the Districts towards the centre of Panem, the Capitol. The Capitol won and decided that as punishment for the uprising against them, every year the Districts would have to offer up one male and female tribute to compete in the Hunger Games. From the age of twelve until you are 18, you are eligible to be reaped for the Hunger Games. Once your name has been called, there is no going back." Toby says, fiddling with the parchment that has remained in his hands.

"Right. So, what is wrong with the Hunger Games? How is it a punishment?" Ginny asks.

"It is a fight to the death for the Capitol's entertainment and all Districts are forced to watch. In all Districts, especially the poorer ones, children can receive tesserae in exchange for their name being entered more than once. Two years ago, my name was entered 18 times." Toby says, hanging his head.

"Oh. Toby, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"There was no way of you knowing. Each year, the Tributes are dolled up in the Capitol, living the life of luxury and then one morning they are thrown into an arena and expected to kill each other until one remains. That single person lives a wealthy life but almost certainly disturbed by what they have had to do."

"Is that why you were all glad to hear that you have immunity from the Hunger Games when you arrived here?" Ginny asks, edging closer to Toby. Her hands cover his to stop him rustling the parchment in his hands.

"Yes. I know that I will never go into the Hunger Games and live in fear of the reapings. Although, we were told that we have to go back and be present when the next reaping is held. But, we are allowed to bring someone with us from Hogwarts and I want it to be you – you support me better than anyone else." Toby says, smiling at Ginny.

"I'd be happy to come with you. I will get to see your District and actually see what you have described. District 4 sounds beautiful."

Toby smiles. "It really is. After the reaping, I will show you around and you can see where I used to work." He says.

Ginny leans over and quickly kisses Toby before standing up.

"Good night, I shall see you tomorrow."

Toby smiles sweetly at her and watches her go up the stairs to her dormitories.

"Good night."

….

"Come along!" McGonagall shouts as those from Panem slowly trudge along through the courtyard with their friends tagging along. Ginny holds Toby's hand tightly as they approach the Professor. "Now, we are disapperating District by District in order so you will have to bear with us. Now huddle in and let's get this over with so you can all return back here as soon as possible."

The group huddles in closely and they disapperate. After 10 minutes, Toby and Ginny arrive in District 4 with spinning heads.

"We will be back two hours after the reapings finish. Come here and wait for me and we will take you back to Hogwarts." McGonagall says and then with a nod of her head, the group disappear.

Toby looks around and notice that they are only 5 minutes away from the town square.

"We need to head to the Square for the reaping. We are required to sit on the stage." Toby says, holding Ginny's hand so tightly, the blood flow is restricted.

"Alright. Once this is over, you can take me on a tour." Ginny says, quickly kissing Toby's cheek. Toby nods and then smiles at Ginny.

"Hopefully it will be quick."

….

The customary video plays at the beginning of the Reaping. Ginny watches the entire video and is disturbed about how casually the horror of it all is mentioned. Toby does not look at it, knowing it word for word like many others. Once the video ends, the Capitol envoy, a woman in vibrant oranges and plastered in make-up giggles gleefully.

"Now, here is my favourite part!" she squeals and walks over to the large bowl on her right. "Let's do the ladies first, shall we?!"

She thrusts her hand into the bowl and picks out the first slip of paper on the top. She walks back to the microphone in the centre of the stage and opens the paper.

"Our female tribute from District Four for the 63rd Hunger Games is Ginny Weasley!"

Toby's heart sinks into the floor. He looks to Ginny who looks extremely pale, like she is about to be sick. Toby stands and looks at the Capitol woman.

"What is this? She is not from District Four! She is from Hogwarts! How is this possible?!" Toby shouts and holds on to Ginny's hand.

The Capitol woman looks confused. "I am unsure on what you mean, my dear boy."

"I mean that she is not from Panem and her name should not be in that bloody bowl!"

"Alright. We will see what has happened."

The Capitol woman goes to a guard who gives her a small envelope. She opens it, reads its contents and hands it back. She then turns to Toby.

"I am afraid that the Reaping result stands by order of our magnificent President." The Capitol woman says. She then goes back to the microphone and puts her large smile back on. "Now, for the boys!"

As her hand rummages through the names, Toby's mind spins.

 _'_ _This cannot be happening. This cannot be happening!'_

"Our male Tribute from District Four is Hanley Dringhert."

"I volunteer as Tribute!" Toby shouts out. A collective gasp erupts from the crowd as they watch Toby stand up and defiantly stare down the Capitol envoy.

"Well then, we have our two tributes! Ginny and Toby!" The Capitol woman shouts out, undeterred about Toby's behaviour. Without any more debate, the Capitol envoy ushers Toby and Ginny inside the Justice Building, their hopes of a content future gone.

….

On the train to the Capitol, Ginny and Toby sit on a small sofa together as they watch the Tributes being selected at the Reapings as it is broadcasted on the holographic screens. Ginny is twirling her wand in her hands whilst Toby is keeping his hidden in his jacket. They know that if the Capitol find them, they will never see them again.

"Toby, the Tributes are all those who went to Hogwarts at the start of the year and everyone who came today have been chosen. This is not a coincidence." Ginny says as she sees her friends from Hogwarts being reaped and all those who transferred have volunteered.

"I know. Do you think McGonagall knew about this?" Toby asks, holding Ginny close to him.

"Definitely not. She would never allow something like this. She spoke to us before saying that it was strange that Panem would offer a transfer without a price of some sort. That is why she said she wanted to get it over with – she did not think we could trust your President."

"Well, Professor McGonagall as usual was right. No one can trust President Coriolanus Snow." Toby says, contempt clear in his voice.

Ginny looks up at Toby. "What is going to happen?"

"I am going to protect you. I always will, no matter what."

"We will protect each other."

Toby nods and kisses Ginny's forehead. They then share a similar thought.

 _'_ _How are we all going to kill each other? I do not think it is possible to harm my friends.'_

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	2. Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Capitol

**A/N: Chapter 2 is here! Thank you for the reviews! My friend loved it so hopefully you guys will to! Please don't forget to review the story if you can and if you want to, favourite or even follow it as well!**

 **This chapter is mainly focussed on Toby and Ginny's arrival in the Capitol and the shenanigans that ensue!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

"Good morning." Toby says as Ginny wakes up, lifting her head from his chest. They refused to leave each other the night before so slept in the same room, just in case they were separated.

"It wasn't a dream then." Ginny says, looking around the room, noticing nothing from her dormitory at Hogwarts; a sight she has grown accustomed to over the years.

Toby kisses Ginny's forehead and rubs her back comfortingly. "Unfortunately not."

"Do you think McGonagall can do anything about this?"

Toby releases his breath and kisses Ginny's forehead again.

"I genuinely have no idea." he says, holding Ginny slightly tighter.

Ginny rests her head back down and sighs.

"What is going to happen to us?" she whispers, fear creeping in.

"We arrive in the Capitol today and get waxed and polished in time for the Tribute Parade tonight. Although, they usually dress each District up like a symbol to represent each Districts' trade. So, as District Four we would be dressed up in something to do with fishing but that probably won't be the case since we are from Hogwarts."

"We?" Ginny asks.

"We. I moved to Hogwarts putting my life here behind me. I have no family looking out for me here whereas at Hogwarts I do."

There is silence between the two as they remember their home; the Wizarding World, away from all of the trauma they are experiencing.

"Will we be dressed up as something stupid?" Ginny suddenly asks, changing the subject away from something that is painful for either of them to think about.

"It seems that is all the Capitol ever do. Wait until you see their hideously ridiculous clothing."

"Do they wear robes like us? Or perhaps shabby clothes?" Ginny asks, intrigued by Toby's words.

"Try vibrantly coloured and stupidly shaped. Not to mention what stupid things they do with their bodies." Toby says, sitting up now. He looks at the small chest of drawers on the other side of the room. "We have clothes in those drawers, although they may only be boys. Girls will probably be in the other room that you were meant to be in."

Ginny sits on the edge of the bed before standing, pulling her fire-y hair away from her face with a small band. Toby walks over to the chest of drawers and pulls out the top section. Inside are all different styles of trousers. Toby picks out a plain dark brown pair and tests the depths of the pockets to see if he can conceal his wand there.

"Not deep enough. I'll have to stick my wand in the pocket in my jacket." Toby says and turns to Ginny. "You'll have to do the same and hope that our clothes aren't taken from us. I refuse to have my wand taken from me."

Ginny nods and then kisses Toby's cheek.

"I will see you in no later than 5 minutes." she mumbles. "Hopefully my clothes will be similar. Although, I don't want to lose my regular clothes."

Toby quickly hugs Ginny, trousers still in hand. "Neither do I. But there are expectations the Capitol have."

Ginny draws back and smiles slightly.

"I shall see for breakfast. Get dressed."

"Yes, my lady." Toby says mockingly, bowing to Ginny. This brings forth a smile from the young wizard.

"Don't be late."

...

Toby stares at the Capitol guard in front of him.

"What do you mean we will be split when we arrive?" Toby asks.

"Those are the rules." the guard says simply.

"The rules are that Tributes are chosen from the Districts of Panem to compete in the Hunger Games! Neither of us, especially Ginny, live in Panem!"

The guard takes a step closer to Toby and pokes his chest.

"You live in Panem."

"No, I don't. I moved to Hogwarts; that is my home. I will not be split from her and everyone else would be saying exactly the same. Your rules seemed to have changed so will this one will do the same." Toby says defiantly. The Capitol guard looks at Toby, then Ginny who is standing behind him. He looks down at their joint hands.

"Fine. I will talk to President Snow." the guard says, his tone bored as if he will not take action upon his words. He looks out of the window and then back at the teenagers before him. "Get ready for your arrival into the Capitol."

The guard then stalks off leaving Toby and Ginny in the main compartment of the train; their unfinished breakfast on the table behind them.

"Make sure you keep hold of me when we get off the train." Ginny says, stepping forward to look at Toby. "I don't want to lose you."

"I will not let you go, Ginny. I told you I would protect you; that remains true."

Ginny smiles. "Good. Maybe we could find a way out of this horrible place and go back to Hogwarts. They will never be able to reach us there."

"We will do that. We shall survive this and get back to where we belong." Toby says, quietly as if saying it louder would make their dream cease to exist.

The train lurches beneath them, their footing lost momentarily before regaining it, and they look out of the window. They both gasp at the sight of the gleaming Capitol.

"How can the Districts be so different from this place?" Ginny asks, seeing very clearly the wealth that the Capitol displays.

"The Capitol leeches any, and all, money for themselves and leave the Districts struggling to survive." Toby says, anger causing his jaw to tense.

"That is horrible. I cannot wait to go back home."

"Me too. Come on, if we finish our breakfast then maybe the citizens of the Capitol may be easier to handle."

...

A small girl dressed entirely in pale blue, forcing herself to keep her eyes downcast, gestures for Toby and Ginny to follow her as they enter the heart of the Capitol.

"She's an avox." Toby whispers to Ginny. "Her tongue has been removed so she can no longer speak."

Ginny says nothing and sharply looks at Toby. He places his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer as they walk as an attempt to comfort her without words.

They stop and enter a room with two hospital style beds there. The avox steps aside and admits 4 brightly dressed Capitol men and women who have smiles plastered to their faces.

 _'What a bunch of loonies.'_ Toby thinks immediately looking at their appearances.

"Hello!" one woman shrills. Her electric blue hair stands on end on the top of her head. "We will be your make-up artists until the Games! We cannot wait to make you look so pretty!"

Toby looks over to his right and sees Ginny's reaction; she is shaking her head and retreating backwards into Toby.

 _'They must look completely crazy to her.'_ Toby thinks.

"Not going to happen." she says and the make-up team all gasp as if they have been greatly offended.

"Young lady." a man with vibrant yellow tattoos around his eyes like a masquerade mask, says. "It is our job to make you look pretty."

"She already is." Toby says, dryly.

"If you say so." the man replies, unconvinced at Toby's words.

"What are your names?" Ginny asks.

The man speaks up first followed by the woman.

"I am Hunret." the man says, placing his hand under his chin as he studies Toby and Ginny.

"Turnety." The woman, now named, announces. "I am the best make-up artist and dresser in the Capitol"

"If you say so." Toby comments, mirroring Hunret's previous words.

The other male and female in the room step forward.

The female has had her lips engorged so much, particularly the lower lip, that her chin is barely visible. "I am Sogin." she says quietly, nodding her head before stepping back.

The male, his eyelashes extended 5 inches from normal length and dyed a shocking pink, continues to smile and hold out his hand to Toby so they can shake. Toby, however, does not accept the handshake.

"My name is Rowtan." he says, dropping his hand and stepping beside his team.

"Now we have that out of the way," Toby says. "what stupid costumes are you going to dress us up in?"

Turnety places her hand over her heart, a gasp escaping her lips.

"My dear boy, you are going to look absolutely fabulous." she says then giggles squeakily.

"I don't want to look fabulous. I want to look normal and I do not want to be associated with Panem or District Four. My home is Hogwarts." Toby says, feeling Ginny edge even closer to his body. He kisses her temple and looks back at the men and women in front of him.

"Well then... You will be wearing nothing then!" Hunret exclaims. "We already have your costumes made. You are going to wear some wonderful fishing nets-"

"No." Toby says forcefully.

"I did have an idea to dress you in flowing robes." Rowtan says. "I wanted to stay away from Districts considering things very suddenly changed the day before the reaping."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asks.

"Our wonderful President Snow decided it would be more entertaining to add those from that stupid school as we do love to see some suffering here in the Capitol." Hunret explains. Ginny has to hold on to Toby before he goes to punch the man in the face; just like he did with a foul Ravenclaw who was disrespecting Ginny after a potions class.

"Wonderful is he?" Toby asks, seething with anger.

"Truly wonderful."

"He is not. He is a cruel and wicked man. A coward!" Toby shouts then spits on the floor.

"That is it! I will not have you talk about him that way!" Hunret shouts. "I quit!"

"Good!" Toby shouts back and watches as Hunret storms out of the room, shouting down the corridor.

"Now, about those flowing robes?" Toby asks Rowtan.

"Umm, yes. I can get those made within the hour for you both. They will be black but is there a certain colour that should be included on the outfits?"

"Red and gold." Toby and Ginny say in unison.

Sogin removes a notepad and jots down a few notes for the costumes. Turnety goes over to Ginny.

"Can we get to work on you, my dear? We can work out what make-up works best and get you out of those clothes."

"Make-up yes. Clothes stay on until we get into the costumes." Ginny says, knowing she will not change her mind; an attempt to keep the wand on her at all times.

Turnety blinks but then smiles.

"If that is how you wish to do it." she says, glancing at Toby to see if he agrees before guiding Ginny to one of the beds and sitting her down on the edge.

"Let's get to work on you." Rowtan says, guiding Toby to sit on the bed opposite Ginny. "There is a lot to do before tonight."

...

"You ready for this?" Toby asks as he and Ginny walk towards their chariot, hand in hand. They look around at the other stylists who are touching up their Tributes and notice that there is not a single one who looks normal.

"Not in the slightest." she says and leans in closer. "At least our wands are safe with us." Ginny pats her arm where her wand is stored. The layers of fabric easily conceal the bulge formed by the thin stick of wood.

"That's true." Toby says, patting his own wand in his pocket, only just deep enough to conceal it.

The pair reach their chariot and look around. All of the other Tributes are dressed in costumes representing the Districts; they are the only ones who represent Hogwarts, their home.

"I cannot see how they went along with it." Ginny says as Toby helps her climb into the chariot. "I dislike our costumes but at least it is something representing Hogwarts."

Toby climbs in beside Ginny and places his left hand on her cheek, careful not to smudge the make-up on her face; black and brown eye shadow smudged out from the corner of her eye and dusted with silver. Made to make Ginny look _formidable_ as Turnety put it.

"Just think; we will be out of here soon. We can help them as well but they probably don't have the guts to argue. Even those from District One and Two are kinder and more considerate. They changed so much at Hogwarts that they do not want to be in the Games any more." Toby says and kisses Ginny's glossed lips.

He quickly wipes it from his mouth using the back of his hand.

"You regret that, don't you." Ginny asks, a smug smile on her face

"A bit. Why does that stuff have to be so sticky?"

"Lip gloss just is. Deal with it." Ginny says, smiling.

" _TRIBUTES. PLEASE MOUNT YOUR CHARIOTS AND PREPARE FOR THE TRIBUTE PARADE."_ a voice booms across the hall. Toby and Ginny look around and see the other Tributes getting into their chariots. A few seconds later:

" _DISTRICT ONE_."

The first chariot then begins to pull out and into the crowd. A large door opens ahead and any noise from the Tributes is drowned out by the screaming of the crowd.

" _DISTRICT TWO."_

Ginny takes hold of Toby's hand and squeezes it until his circulation is cut off and her knuckles are white.

"It's alright!" Toby shouts above the noise.

" _DISTRICT THREE."_

"Can I just not do this?" Ginny shouts into Toby's ear and sees Toby laugh.

"Sadly not. Just stare forwards and forget the crowd. We can get through this." Toby replies and looks ahead of him.

 _"DISTRICT FOUR."_

Their chariot suddenly begins moving and they go out into the crowd. Their costumes catch the wind that is swirling around them and their flowing robes billow behind him. The red and gold accents are woven in the fabric and look partially like fire. Toby notices their faces on the screens and chooses to look up to where President Snow is standing, watching the Tributes being paraded.

Ginny follows Toby and ignores the screams and the flowers being thrown at them. When they stop in front of the President of Panem, Ginny looks at her friends and sees the terror in their body language; probably exactly the way she is now.

Toby looks at her.

"It is almost over now." he says to her and she looks at him.

"The sooner, the better." Ginny says and looks up to see President Coriolanus Snow signalling for silence from his people. The crowd dies down slowly and pay their full attention to their President.

"Welcome Tributes!" his voice booms out across the stands, echoing slightly. "This is another year that is extra special! The 63rd Hunger Games is one that will always be remembered. Both here, in our glorious Panem, and in other lands who do not experience the entertainment that the Hunger Games brings each year. Welcome to our Tributes! From both Panem and far away. You will make this year very interesting! We thank you for your courage," his eyes then seem to fix on Toby. "and your sacrifice."

Toby's brow narrows and he looks at Snow.

 _'What on earth...?'_

It isn't until later on, however, when he has Ginny asleep beside him that those words seem to have some significance.

 _Your sacrifice..._

 _Sacrifice..._

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3 - Let's Begin Training

**A/N: Hello wonderful people! Thank you so much for your kind words for the previous chapters - it means a lot! There is a chance that the next chapter could be late - March will be a very busy month for me! GCSE assessed performance for drama, rehearsing and performing the school show, music assessments and then beginning serious revising for my exams that are coming up! Busy, busy, busy!**

 **This is being posted a day earlier than I had planned because I will be very busy tomorrow and may not have the time to do so!**

 **Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

After the parade, all Tributes were shown to their apartments on their respective Districts' floor. Toby held on to Ginny's hand as an Avox showed them the dining room and gestured for them to discover the rest of the space for themselves. They found the location of the bathrooms that are linked to the two wardrobe areas - one for males and the other for females - and two separate bedrooms. Whilst Ginny was distracted in the wardrobe, Toby went to explore the bedrooms; finding the biggest one that looks out over the shining Capitol, knowing that he and Ginny would want to share.

After locating some sleepwear, jumping into the shower to wash all of the make-up off and concealing their wands underneath the mattress, they climbed into bed and held each other close.

"This doesn't seem quite right." Toby said, shifting slightly.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Usually by now we would have a mentor who was the previous District winner but they aren't here. That repulsive woman from the Reaping isn't here. This just isn't what we have heard over the years."

"Don't worry about it." Ginny said, hugging Toby tighter to her. "We should just try to get some sleep before tomorrow."

Toby nodded, kissed Ginny's forehead and snuggled down beneath the covers.

...

Morning came quicker than either would have liked. Ginny stirs before Toby does and she wakes him with a simple kiss on the cheek.

"Someone is knocking on the door." Ginny says and removes the covers from her body so she can stand up. Toby groans before he sits up in bed and wipes his eyes, yawning.

Ginny walks over to the door, pulling on a dressing gown as she goes. She opens it and sees Turnety and Rowtan standing outside with shirts and trousers in their hands.

"We brought your training outfits for you." Turnety says, raising her hands for a moment as she gestures to the items of clothing in her hands. She remains standing beside Rowtan, not walking in until Ginny allows them to.

"Thank you. What time is it?" Ginny asks, looking for a clock and not seeing one within their bedroom.

"Just gone seven thirty!" Turnety says. "We would have let you sleep in more but we have some things to go over and you to must wash, dress and eat before training at ten."

Toby rubs his eyes again and gets out of bed, going over to Ginny. He places his arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple.

"Will we be finding out about our mentors today? We haven't heard anything about them. Heck, we haven't seen the Escort since the Reaping." Toby says, looking at both Turnety and Rowtan.

"I'm afraid, my dear boy," Rowtan says, shifting the clothes in his hand. "we haven't heard anything ourselves. If we had, we would tell you."

Toby nods. "Alright. It is just strange, that's all."

"I know." Rowtan agrees. "Usually we would have been working with your Mentor before now."

Turnety looks at Rowtan then back at Ginny and Toby.

"Shall we get you two sorted out then?" Turnety asks, looking for their approval and changing the subject of discussion. Toby nods and kisses Ginny's cheek.

"Come along, dear." Turnety says, gesturing towards the female wardrobe area for Ginny. She smiles at Toby before being led away by the stylist.

"Bath or shower?" Rowtan asks Toby as they walk towards the male area.

"I'll go with a shower, thanks." Toby says, headed towards the bathroom. He suddenly stops, however, and turns around to face Rowtan. "I'm not going to be plastered with products like last night, am I?"

Rowtan smiles sympathetically. "No. That only happens with the Tribute Parade and maybe your interviews. I could tell you didn't like it."

"Not at all." Toby confirms, walking further into the bathroom towards the shower.

"I do understand why, believe it or not. It is something that you will not be used to." Rowtan says, now slightly pushing Toby into the small changing section beside the shower. "Now, you can have 30 minutes then you're changing into your training clothes."

Toby looks at Rowtan as the stylist leaves, closing the bathroom door behind him.

"Hopefully today won't be too bad." Toby says quietly to himself.

...

"What do you mean, on our own?" Toby asks, dropping his fork down onto his filled breakfast plate.

Turnety looks at her plate of chocolate covered scones and mini vinegar and sugar covered toasts then back up at Toby.

"We don't understand it either but that is how it is going to be this year. The Gamemakers have decided and they don't tend to go back on their decisions once they have started." she says.

"Can you not change anything?" Ginny asks.

"I'm afraid we have no influence. We are just stylists." Rowtan says, shrugging.

"Is there anything that could change their minds?" Toby asks, clenching a fist. Ginny notices this and takes this hand in hers, loosening the appendage.

"They decided that having you lot in the Games was a good idea and they want to make it interesting for some reason. No idea why, it isn't even a Quarter Quell yet." Turnety says, digging back into her food. "You should eat as much as you can. Today will be a long day and you'll have three or four hours before you can eat anything."

Toby begrudgingly continues eating his plate of food, as does Ginny.

 _'Their minds had better change soon before I do something rash.'_

...

"Welcome Tributes to your first day of training." the Head Trainer, Yvette, says. "In no less than two weeks, 23 of you will be dead."

All the Tributes look at each other and notice most of them are thinking similar things; _I don't want to kill these people..._

"One of you will be alive in the end; one will emerge victorious. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next four days, particularly to what I'm about to say to you all. First, no fighting with the other tributes. You'll have plenty of time for that in the Arena." Yvette laughs expecting all of the Tributes to join in, but no one does.

"There are multiple exercises for you to complete, and then then rest will be individual training. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Remember that exposure can kill as easily as a knife. Everything here is available for your use to train; those not from Panem will need all the luck in the bloody world." Yvette explains.

The Tributes look at each other and without checking whether Yvette is finished, the District One and Two tributes and their Hogwarts companions walk away, going over to the axes and spears station.

Toby looks around for a moment and then notices a netting and hook station. He kisses Ginny's temple before whispering in her ear,

"I'm going over to make some nets. Previous experience may come in handy. Will you be alright finding something?"

Ginny smiles and kisses Toby's cheek.

"I'll have look around. If not, I can get you to teach me to make something." Ginny says and sticks her tongue out for a moment.

Toby smiles then goes over to his station. Ginny goes off, wandering around the various stations for a moment. She glances at what is on offer but is not drawn in by anything. She passes survival skills and promises the instructor that she would be along later on; another station catches her attention very quickly after she says this.

Ginny hurries over to the knife station, immediately picking up a small throwing blade. The male instructor comes over and sees Ginny's expression.

"Want to learn to throw them as well as use them?" he asks.

"Sure. Are they effective?" Ginny asks, turning the blade in her hands.

"Very, if you throw them right."

The instructor picks up three other throwing blades and heads over to the targets. Ginny follows and takes note of the stance that the instructor has taken and how he inhales just before he throws. The blade hits the centre of the target; the heart.

"Now you try." the instructor says, knowing that there is a very slim chance Ginny will even hit the target.

Ginny nods then steps forward. She stands where the instructor just was and takes up a similar stance. She holds the throwing blade in her hand loosely and breathes a few times, eying up the target; where she aims to stick the knife. She raises her right arm and takes in breath. Just before she exhales, she throws.

It sticks, right beside the blade the instructor threw.

"Wow. Have you practised before?" the instructor asks after a moment, shocked at the result.

"No. I have never thrown a knife before. I just pick things up quickly I guess." Ginny says, remembering just how quickly she learns spells.

"I would certainly say so. How about we try something more advanced?"

Ginny looks over at a busy Toby and then back at the instructor.

"Alright."

...

It was an hour and a half later that Toby was joined by Ginny at the net and hook station. The table is covered with numerous tightly woven nets and deadly looking hooks.

"Looks like you've been busy." Ginny comments, kissing Toby's cheek. He finishes tying a knot on his latest hook before looking up an smiling at his love. He looks down at her hands and notices a few scratches that are partially pink around the edges.

"Knives I am going to guess?" Toby says.

"You would be correct. Turns out I am good at something deadly other than magic." Ginny says, picking up one of Toby's nets.

"That will come in handy." Toby leans in closer, quietening his voice. "There is a very small chance that there will be brooms or the chance to take in our wands. Other skills will be useful."

Toby leans back and finishes off his hook, detaching it from the vice and placing it beside the others.

"How will the nets come in handy?" Ginny asks.

"Well, if we are thrown into an arena with water, it can help to catch fish. If not, it can help set traps for animals to eat or if needs must, another Tribute." Toby says, picking up the corner of one of his nets. "This one is perfect for catching animals because the holes are so small they cannot fit through."

"Do you really think we will try hurt each other?" Ginny asks, switching the topic of discussion.

"From Hogwarts, no. There is a huge risk from those born in the Capitol. Every year, the Hunger Games is all we have known. District One and Two train before they are even reaped to be prepared to win; there is a chance they will kill for the chance to be the victor." Toby says, piling up his nets and throwing them into the basket beside the table.

"I think if anything, someone from Hogwarts will kill to protect themselves. However, we are only trained in basic magic. I only know more because of my older brothers and doing their homework for them when they couldn't be bothered." Ginny says, holding on to Toby's arm, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. Toby decides it is time to change the subject.

"Shall we head to survival skills?" he asks, pointing to the station with a very lonely looking instructor.

"Why not. We can stay there until lunch if you want."

"I see no problem with that." Toby says with a small smile and together they head over, hoping to learn something that may save their lives in the arena.

...

"Ginny! Toby! Come and sit with us!" a girl shouts from one of the clumped groups of tables. Toby and Ginny head over to her and notice that she is sitting with a fellow Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw.

"Hey, Tilly." Ginny says towards the source of the voice, placing her plate and cutlery down on the table before taking a seat.

"Hello, Ginny. I saw how well you were doing with the knives, well done." Tilly says, eating a forkful of bright pink mashed potato.

"Thanks, Tilly. You did great with the camouflage station. At first, I wondered where your arm had gone." Ginny says and then looks at Toby who is poking the orange pile on the corner of his plate.

"You did amazing with those nets, Toby." the Ravenclaw Brendol says, pushing his hair out of his face. Toby looks up and smiles.

"Thanks. Learnt a few things back in District Four. Couldn't really use them back home so it was nice to put my hands at use again."

Ginny smiles when Toby mentions Hogwarts as his home.

 _'He truly is one of us.'_ she thinks, quite proudly.

"Hopefully they'll only be needed for capturing food." Ginny says and then looks at the other two groups of tables. One has the District One, Two and Five Panem originating Tributes around it, conversing quietly whilst all of the others are in one big group.

"Are they going to be killing us? Despite everything they went through at Hogwarts?" the other Gryffindor says.

"It is possible, Lexa." Toby says, looking over at the group that he now thinks of as the Careers. "I mentioned it to Ginny earlier but District One and Two train before they are reaped to be extra prepared."

"But what about Tamara and Olvi? They became friends with them so it is technically their fault that we are here!" Brendol says, growing louder. "If we weren't friends with you, this would never have happened to us!"

The entire dining room grows quiet. The bigger group turn around and look at Brendol, Tilly, Lexa, Toby and Ginny. After a moment, the large group stand and push their tables over to the few tables that Toby and Ginny are sitting at.

"We cannot help what has happened so we should stick together." a Slytherin girl says, placing her plate back down on the table and sitting down beside Toby.

"We should. It is the best way to remain alive." Toby says, agreeing. He looks at Ginny and smiles at her.

"We will stay alive together. These Gamemakers cannot defeat us." she says, holding tightly to Toby's hand.

"The Games will never destroy us." Toby whispers to Ginny. However, a small voice in the back of his mind makes him doubt his words.

 _'The Gamemakers will do everything in their power to ensure that we die. Everyone in Panem has seen what lengths they go to to provide entertainment for the Capitol and torture for the Districts..._

 _We had better pray for a miracle...'_

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	4. Chapter 4 - Targets

**A/N: Another chapter! I was worried that this one would not be posted on time but here it is a day early! Thank you for all of the reviews on the previous chapter - it is very much appreciated!**

 **If I stick to my main plan, as there are a few, it will not be much longer until the Games themselves! So, stay tuned and it shouldn't be long!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

"The Games will destroy us." a final year Hufflepuff says a few days later. The Tributes are gathering together to begin their fifth day of gruelling training. For the Panem originating Tributes, it is easier to grasp the ideas of the weapons available to them and their potential foreboding deaths. For those originating from Hogwarts, their reliance on magic and lack of weapons knowledge is their current downfall.

"They won't." Ginny assures, placing her hand on his shoulder. "We will not let them."

"They will, Ginny." the Hufflepuff says. "We cannot use our magic; something we have known all our lives. Those from this place know what they are doing and it is a completely unfair advantage."

Ginny moves closer and hugs him, seeming consoling him to anyone who looks at them. She does not wish to risk the Capitol hearing what she has to say.

"Daniel, where have you hidden your wand?" Ginny whispers. Daniel hugs Ginny back and puts his mouth near her ear so she is able to hear him clearly.

"Underneath the mattress of my bed in my room. I believe that Marcol has done the same. She is from District Six which is transport and she has said she has no love for the Hunger Games; never has and never will. She doesn't want to be a part of it even more since she has been at Hogwarts; or so she says. Let's hope that her word is true."

"Make sure they stay hidden, Daniel. Find a way of bringing them into the arena when the time comes."

"Until then?"

"Practise. Your life depends on it. If we cannot get our wands in the arena, you need to be prepared to fight. But, remember everything we were taught at Hogwarts, it will come in handy if we can use our magic." Ginny says and withdraws from Daniel. They both smile at each other and Ginny turns to her left, moving away from Daniel, seeing Toby standing next to her. He smiles and quickly takes hold of her hand in his, squeezing it.

"Last training day before the evaluations." Toby says, dropping Ginny's hand. "How are you feeling?"

Ginny shrugs and looks out at the rest of the room, glancing at the different stations.

"I'm alright, I guess. We just need to go over to survival skills for a little while to finish off." she says, pointing momentarily at the station.

"I'm good with that." Toby says and then looks at the rest of the Tributes who are now all present and lined up. "Everyone seems strangely calm."

"I spread a message amongst the Hogwarts lot." Ginny says, quietly. "I told them to show no fear and appear calm. That way, the Capitol cannot say or do anything."

Before Toby can reply, Yvette steps forward and calls for silence. The mumble from the Tributes quickly ceases.

"Tomorrow, you will all be assessed and given a score between zero and twelve. This will help know how good your chances of survival are to potential sponsors."

At these words, Toby quickly looks at Ginny as he realises he did not mention that detail. Ginny looks at Toby with surprise across her features before looking back at Yvette.

"Without sponsors, your chances of survival are second to none. Sponsors can provide you with anything you need in the arena; food, water or survival tools. Impress them and your chances automatically almost triple." Yvette says.

Toby reaches for Ginny's hand but seeing this in the corner of her eye, she pulls it out of the way before he can make contact.

"Train well and impress." Yvette says, gesturing to the rest of the room; signalling for the Tributes to go. The group splits up and Toby begins to head over to the survival skills station. He turns and sees that Ginny is not going with him, but heading to the blades station instead without saying a word to Toby as she goes.

 _'I hope she isn't frustrated with me.'_ Toby thinks as he continues to his destination. When he gets there, he watches as Ginny picks up a large handful of throwing knives. She goes over and takes position, giving a look to the trainer to start up the targets. He does and they begin to swiftly move as if they are running around.

Ginny then begins to frantically throw the blades at the passing targets, without focus as she allows her anger to take over. Anger not at Toby, but at the Capitol; treating Tributes as if their lives have no value other than what sponsors are willing to pay.

Within a mere minute, Ginny relaxes and the targets stop moving. She releases her breath and looks at the trainer; almost seeking his approval. She sees that he has astonishment written across his features which causes Ginny to turn her head back to the targets. Her mouth drops open slightly.

All blades have stuck perfectly in the centre of each target.

"How did you do that?" the trainer asks, unmoving.

Ginny shakes her head slightly and takes a few steps back, shocked by her actions.

 _'What just happened?'_ she asks herself.

"I don't know." she says quietly and looks around. The Gamemakers in their booth are looking at her, as are the other Tributes.

Ginny goes back to looking at the targets and the result of her anger. She draws in another breath and then walks away from that station, over to Toby. She kneels down beside him, recognising the snare Toby had begun and hears the sound of the trainers coaxing the other Tributes back to continue their training. Once she hears the commotion of blades hitting each other and thumps on targets behind her, Ginny continues on the snare to complete it.

Toby places his hand on Ginny's back and inwardly releases a breath in relief that she does not flinch or move away.

"Are you alright?" he asks softly.

"Can we talk about it later?" she replies, not looking up.

"Of course." Toby says and looks down at the snare as Ginny finishes it. "Well, that is completely different."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asks, sitting back.

"I was trying to make the other one." Toby says, guiltily, and then looks at Ginny. "Could you teach me?"

Ginny laughs softly and then smiles.

"The boy who can make deadly hooks and intricate nets needs help to make a simple snare?" she asks and Toby shrugs. "Of course I can."

...

"District Four male." a voice booms and Toby stands from his seat beside Ginny.

"Good luck." Ginny says, squeezing his hand for a moment before releasing it, a smile on her face.

"You too. I will see you when you're done." Toby says. He smiles and then turns away from Ginny, heading into the training room.

As he walks in, he notices the Gamemakers watching his every step. As he walks into the centre of the room, he stops and looks up at them expectantly.

"You have fifteen minutes to demonstrate your skills and we will judge you accordingly. You may begin."

Toby looks around and settles his focus on a particular station. He allows his feet to guide him and ends up at the spears station. He takes one in hand and gets a feel of its weight before suddenly throwing it with force at the target, where it sticks in the centre. He goes over and picks up two more spears and jogs away slightly. When he reaches about ten paces away from the line, he throws one and it sticks beside the original spear. He then makes the decision to go back five more paces. When he throws, he is pleasantly surprised to see the spear stick beside the others.

 _'That is what happens when you come from District Four.'_ he thinks, slightly proudly.

Instead of going over and grabbing more spears, Toby heads over to the netting station. He quickly creates an intricate net and spends the rest of his time rigging it up. Just before the Gamemakers stop him, Toby releases his net on an unsuspecting trainer and is pleased when the trainer is unable to free himself as he is tangled.

"Thank you for your display of skills. You may go." a voice says, dismissing Toby from the room.

...

Ginny walks into the training room and sees the Gamemakers staring at her. She goes to the centre of the room and stops, facing the Gamemakers and crosses her arms over her chest.

"You have fifteen minutes to demonstrate your skills and we will judge you accordingly. You may begin."

Ginny nods, showing her understanding and looks around. She quickly decides where she wants to go.

 _'Might as well make a good impression.'_

Ginny walks over to the blades station and picks up a handful of throwing knives. She channels her anger and readies her blades. The trainer begins by firing up the targets; making them move very fast after her display the day before. The blades are fired one after the other and as they leave her hands, many cuts are made. However, Ginny completely ignores the stinging pain.

Red clouds over Ginny's vision as she allows her inner anger to control her actions. Seeing this, the trainer to her right takes a step back and ensures he does not get involved.

The targets soon stop and Ginny partially relaxes, dropping her arms. She recognises the stinging in her hands now and glances down, seeing the red scratches oozing blood at varying levels of speed. She looks up at the Gamemakers who are completely silent. She turns back around and looks at the targets. Like before, all of the blades have stuck dead centre in each of the targets.

"Where are the spears?" Ginny turns and asks the trainer. He runs over to the spears station and brings back four spears for her.

"Here." he says, passing them to Ginny.

"Thanks." Ginny says, curtly. She weighs the weight of the spears in her hands, unintentionally spreading blood on the wooden shafts. She puts one in her right hand and raises her arm, levelling the spear.

After a breath, she strongly throws the spear and is surprised when it sticks beside one of her blades. She drops the other spears and turns.

"At least I know I can throw a spear." she mumbles to herself. "Might as well go over my snares."

She walks over to the survival skills station and immediately begins work on a snare. The silence surrounding her suddenly disappears as a small murmur rises from the Gamemakers.

 _'Poor Gamemakers. Must be rather boring for them now.'_

Ginny looks over to the clock in the corner of the room and notices that she only has a few minutes left. She finishes off her snare and gets back up, going to the blades station once more. She picks up five more blades and places them all in her right hand.

 _'I might as well go out with a bang; fully make that good impression.'_

Ginny takes a breath and then throws all the blades at the same time. She hears a glass shatter on the ground behind her and smiles in satisfaction; all blades have stuck in the centre of the furthest target. The young wizard turns around and looks at the shocked faces of the Gamemakers.

"Thank you for your display of skills." a voice says, shaking. "You may go now."

...

"How do you think you did?" Toby asks as he and Ginny sit together for lunch. The other Districts are slowly piling in after their assessments.

"Someone dropped a glass when I threw five knives at the same time before I left."

"Seriously?" Toby asks, snapping his head to Ginny in shock.

"Yeah." Ginny says with a slight shrug. "We were told to impress. If we impress, we get sponsors and we survive."

"Fair enough." Toby says. He takes Ginny's hand in his own and kisses her hand, over one of many cuts inflicted by one of the numerous blades. "You should have been more careful."

"I have dealt with worse before, Toby. I have fallen off my broom many times from various heights."

"Me too." Toby says, remembering the first disastrous times he flew on his broom.

Silence follows as both recall precious memories of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World. However, this silence is short lived as a loud belch comes from the District One Tribute, Marcus. Ginny shakes her head in disapproval and then looks back at Toby.

"When is it we find out our scores again?" Ginny asks.

Toby has an intake of breath and sighs before replying.

"Later on this evening."

...

"It is now the time to announce the scores for this year's Tributes!" the cheerful presenter, Caesar Flickerman, roars and receives a large applause from a Capitol filled audience. "This year we are going to go largest score to lowest score; just to add some fun to this!" Suddenly, he starts laughing.

Ginny, from her place beside him on the large couch, looks at Toby with a look of surprise. Toby simply shrugs and looks at the vibrant gold man on the holographic screen in the living space of their apartment.

"He is always like this. Every year it is a different colour for his hair and ridiculous eyebrows; this year it seems to be gold. The laughter is something we have partially gotten used to over the years." Toby says and looks back at Ginny.

"I will not ever get used to that man." Ginny says, dryly. They both turn to face back at the large screen in front of them.

"Now, for those who do not remember," Flickerman continues. "the Tributes are scored between zero and twelve. It is very rare that a Tribute will achieve high scores. Tributes from Districts One and Two predominantly receive around ten. So, let's see what this year has in store."

Both Ginny and Toby glance at each other for a moment, taking in sharp breaths, then face the screen again.

"On top is the female Tribute from District Four, Ginny Weasley with a shocking score of twelve! Beside her is the male Tribute from District Four, Toby Osnet also with a score of twelve. Ladies and gentleman, this has never happened before!" Flickerman says, gleefully clapping his hands.

Ginny and Toby look at each other in shock. Ginny takes Toby's hand in her own and holds it tight. Neither pay any more attention to the screen in front of them or the words that Flickerman is forming. Toby lifts up Ginny's hands and kisses the top of them before drawing her in for a hug.

Ginny hugs him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder. They embrace in silence until a few minutes later once the screen has turned off and there is no other sound than their breathing.

"Has this just made us targets?" Ginny asks, not moving.

"Yes, it certainly has."

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	5. Chapter 5 - This Is Your Moment

**A/N: Another chapter! Next month's chapter may or may not be posted on time as my GCSE Examinations begin this month and that will obviously take up a lot of my time and energy! However, I do have study leave so some time may be dedicated to writing to give me a break away from revision and the exams themselves!**

 **Thank you for your reviews on the previous chapter and all of your kind words - they are very much appreciated and a joy to read after a long and hard day!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

"Interviews are tonight." Sogin says, a smile on her face. "So that means that we will be primping and beautifying you for your fabulous moment before the Capitol and the Districts."

Ginny looks at Toby with a look of disgust on her face. She places her fork down beside her lunch plate and looks back at the three stylists standing before her and then Toby. They decided to have a later lunch, before they were interrupted, as they were able to spend plenty of time together. They had spent the morning up on the roof of the building; listening to the hustle and bustle of the Capitol.

"Do you have our outfits prepared already?" Toby asks, looking at Rowtan.

"We do, and as we believed you would prefer it, we have made them completely different to the others who will be looking like Capitol citizens as they always do; wonderful colours and plenty of sparkles." Turnety answers, placing a hand on Rowtan's shoulder before looking at the two wizards again. "Unfortunately, this means that within the next hour, we need to begin your preparations, Ginny."

Ginny groans loudly and then picks up her fork and continues to eat her food. Toby looks at her and then back at the lingering stylists.

"Will I be quick like last time then?" he asks. Rowtan smiles at him and smiles.

"Oh yes, males are always very easy. You may even be quicker as you shall not be wearing makeup as well."

Toby smiles in relief.

"Thanks." he says and halts for a moment. "Would you mind coming back when you need Ginny to get ready?"

Turnety looks at Rowtan and Sogin for their approval and then turns back to the Tributes before her and nods.

"Of course we can. We will be back in just under an hour. Have this time to prepare for your interview."

...

Once they have finished eating, Toby guides Ginny into their room and they sit on the large windowsill in the bright sunlight. Toby sits with his back against the wall and Ginny plants herself in between his legs, her back resting against his warm chest. She turns her head so she can stare out of the window at the gleaming city before her. Toby drapes his right arm over Ginny's shoulder and she takes his hand in her right.

"What exactly happens in these interviews then?" Ginny asks, playing with Toby's fingers. He is silent for a moment before answering.

"That pumped up and over-gleeful presenter, Flickerman, interviews each of the Tributes and usually asks about their previous lives and how they think they will survive in the arena."

"Ugh. I knew he was a horrible arse." Ginny says. Toby laughs and kisses the top of Ginny's head.

"Always has been, always will be." Toby says.

They sit in a comfortable silence for the next few minutes, enjoying each other's company; knowing that tomorrow will be unpredictable.

"How can they do this to us? Watch fight and die for pleasure?" Ginny suddenly bursts out.

"Because they are maniacs who only care about something if it benefits them and no one else." Toby says, holding onto Ginny slightly tighter.

"That is true." Ginny says. She looks over to the bed where both of their wands are securely stored. "I just despise how much I have to deny who I am. All I want to do is be back at Hogwarts where I can contact my family and let them know that I am alright and safe, but no."

"I know it is hard. I no longer have family but in the months I have been at Hogwarts, I have realised who my true family is; you and the rest of the Wizarding World."

Ginny shifts so she can turn her head and look at Toby. Tears are forming in his sea green eyes that make her heart sink.

"You haven't ever told me about your family. I have heard everything but that." she says softly. She drops Toby's hand, turns more and places her left on his cheek. "You can trust me with it you know."

"I know." Toby says, leaning into her hand for a moment. "It is just hard because I haven't ever told anyone about what happened. No one knows other than me."

"Toby, you can tell me anything. You can trust me."

Toby nods and rests his forehead on Ginny's.

"Both of my parents abandoned me when I was six years old and I have had to fend for myself ever since then." Toby says, quietly. He looks out of the window again and allows a single tear to fall unchecked. "No one showed me kindness and I have worked on the docks and fishing boats since I was eight years old after begging the Fishing Master for a job so I would no longer have to sneak around the market and steal food for myself." His voice begins to wobble so he ceases talking for the moment.

Ginny looks at the one she loves with deep sadness in her eyes. She places her hand on his chest, directly over his heart.

"I can barely remember their faces because it has been so long for me. Too long to remember much about them at all other than the bad things."

"Do you know why they left you?" Ginny asks, softly. She is curious about his past but not wanting to pry if Toby feels too uncomfortable.

"I remember that they fought a lot; the sound of their screaming would keep me up at night. I didn't say anything at school because I was worried that I would get in trouble with them and they would yell at me. The day before they left, there was no screaming at all between them. I remember hearing whispers instead. I got out of bed and sat by my door which was slightly open. I couldn't make out what they were saying but I heard zippers going; they were packing their bags, although I didn't know it at the time."

Toby takes a deep breath and wipes his face.

"The next morning when I woke up, the house was silent. I went to my parents' room and there were clothes everywhere, the bed a mess. The had left during the night and hadn't even said goodbye to me. It is like I was the reason that they left because they left together and without me."

Ginny turns around fully and hugs Toby to her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Toby. I had no idea." she says. Toby wraps his arms around Ginny's waist and takes comfort in her arms.

 _'It does feel good to get that off my chest.'_ he thinks, grateful that he has finally told someone.

Ginny pulls back and looks in Toby's eyes.

"I want you to know that I love you, regardless of what has happened to you in your past." she says and kisses him tenderly.

Toby withdraws.

"I love you too."

Ginny smiles slightly and wipes away the tears that have fallen upon Toby's face.

"Despite everything that happens from tomorrow, I will stick by your side and never abandon you." Ginny promises.

"Me too. I could never abandon you."

Ginny turns around again and settles in Toby's arms once more. They sit in silence as they stare out of the window until a tentative knock sounds at the door to the bedroom.

Ginny gets up from the windowsill, kisses Toby and walks over to the door, opening it.

"Are you ready, dear? We should begin your preparations." Turnety says, glancing over at Toby.

"I'm ready to get this over with. Toby?" Ginny says, turning around.

"Yeah?"

"Will you be okay?" she asks, concerned.

Toby smiles weakly then nods.

"Go and get primped and all sorts. I will see you soon." he says and watches as she leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

He gets up from the windowsill and paces up and down the room for a moment. He runs his hands over his hair, memories flashing in his mind. He violently shakes his head, trying to remove the painful images and sounds.

He sits on the foot of the bed and places his hands on his knees. He quickly reaches under the mattress and feels the sturdy wood of his wand; a reminder of where he belongs. Taking a few deep breaths, his mind drifts to what is upcoming; the commencement of this year's Hunger Games.

"Tomorrow is going to be very difficult indeed." he says to himself.

...

"Line up here and wait your turn." A Peacekeeper says and an Avox ensures that all of the Tributes are lining up against the wall.

"I guess that I am going first out of us then." Ginny says, looking behind her at Toby.

"Females always go first for each District." Toby says and comfortingly rubs Ginny's lace covered arm.

She is dressed in a crimson red lace gown with accents of gold and a golden underskirt; something she never thought would come out of the Capitol, more like something in the Wizarding World. Her arms are covered with tightly clinging red and golden threaded lace that stop with thin golden cuffs at her slender wrists. Her dress has been brought in at the waist so it clings to her hips and flows down towards the floor. In the front, it is slightly raised so the tips of her ruby red heels are slightly visible. At the back, the golden underskirt stops and the red lace continues for a foot to trail behind the young witch.

Her hair has been pulled back away from her face and organised to flow down her back. At the crown of her head, a golden circlet has been added and glitter sprayed on to appear as if it is falling down her hair. Ginny's make-up is rather natural apart from the bright red lips and golden glitter surrounding her eyes; a 'Capitol touch' as Sogin put it.

"You do look good though." Toby adds, looking over Ginny's outfit.

"Thank you. They really did listen to us when we complained about our outfits for the parade." Ginny comments looking down at Toby's black, red and gold suit that he is wearing. His face is thankfully devoid of any make-up; just the way he should be, and the way Ginny likes it. Rowtan wanted Toby's hair to be slicked back to look better but after Toby flat-out refused, nothing was done.

"Do you know what you are going to say in the interview?" Ginny asks, watching as the first Tribute, Hogwarts originating Tamara from Hufflepuff, is guided up the stairs towards the stage.

"There is no telling what questions Flickerman is going to ask this year as everything is different now." Toby says. A large screen in front of them comes alive and music begins to blare out as a glittering Caesar Flickerman walks out onto the stage.

"Here we go." Ginny says under her breath.

...

The line slowly moves forward as Tribute after Tribute is lead up towards the stage. Ginny and Toby watch as their friends, or acquaintances in some cases, take to the stage in front of Panem. When it comes to her turn, Ginny's legs are shaking as she is guided up the stairs, away from Toby and towards potential embarrassment.

She is stopped in the wings to the stage as Flickerman finishes with Hogwarts originating Tribute, Brendol from District Three.

"How do you think you'll survive in the arena?" Flickerman asks a composed Brendol.

"I will do my best to remain with those I know I can trust and simply remain alive." he says, looking out at the crowd as they laugh at him like they know that will never happen.

"Good luck with that, Brendol." Flickerman says and then stands, holding Brendol's arm up. "Brendol everybody!"

The crowd bursts out in applause and Brendol walks off on the opposite side of the stage.

"Next up we have our District Four Tributes. Now, we all know what an impression they have both made after we all saw their amazing scores for their individual assessments. This lovely lady is the one I have perhaps looked forward to talking to most this evening. So, please warmly welcome Ginny!"

Ginny is pushed slightly and she walks out into the bright lights on the stage. The crowd is almost deafening as she walks out and places her hand in Caesar's as he raised his. He places a small kiss on the top of her hand, which surprises her as he did it to none of the other female Tributes, and then invites her to sit. She sits on the cushioned chair with a straight back and composed face and faces Caesar.

"So, Ginny, how do you like the Capitol?" Flickerman asks, starting off the conversation and putting of a blinding smile and looking out at the crowd.

"Well, it is very different to home. A bit too loud and bright for my liking and for what I am used to." Ginny says honestly and looks at the crowd. They laugh slightly and she takes it as a good sign.

"We hear that practically every year, don't we folks?" Flickerman shouts out and the audience cheers in agreement. "You are not the only one, the Capitol isn't for everyone. Anyway, you and your fellow District member both achieved full marks in your individual assessment. How did you do that? We all certainly want to know."

Ginny ponders for a moment before replying.

"I find that it was from when I was a child and would have to throw balls at my brothers when doing sports as I had the better aim. I threw a lot of knives in that assessment and obviously made an impression."

"Make an impression, you certainly did!" Caesar says and a ripple of applause sounds.

"Thank you." Ginny says.

"Your gown is lovely. Could you give us a twirl?" Flickerman asks, clapping his hands like a child all of a sudden.

"I'm not so sure." Ginny says, anxiety twisting away at her insides.

 _'The last thing I want to do is fall and really embarrass myself.'_

"Oh, come on. The crowd would love it, wouldn't you folks!"

The crowd begins to clap and cheer and Ginny finds herself standing. She walks forward a few paces and then twirls four times on the spot. She hears the crowd ' _oooh_ 'ing and ' _ahhh_ 'ing as she spins and when she stops, the crowd goes wild.

She walks back to the chairs and remains standing as Flickerman takes her hand in his and kisses it again.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Ginny!" Flickerman shouts and the crowd once again roars as she makes her exit.

...

"Next up we have our other District Four Tribute. Like Ginny, he also received the highest score for individual assessment and has captured the hearts of rather a lot of women out there, am I right?"

A huge squeal bursts from the audience as the women shout in agreement, waving their arms and jumping up and down.

"Let's meet him in person, shall we? Toby, ladies and gentleman!"

Toby walks out onto the stage, pulling down his sleeves a bit. He plasters a smile on his face, remembering what Rowtan had told him earlier to make a good impression to everyone.

"Toby. Lovely to meet you." Flickerman says, shaking Toby's hand strongly.

"You too, Caesar." Flickerman gestures to Toby's seat and he sits down. "Thank you."

"So, Toby. Are you enjoying the Capitol?" Caesar asks.

"It is certainly much better than District Four where the smell of fish is inescapable." Toby says causing both the audience and Flickerman to laugh uproariously.

"I bet. I also assume that everything is more colourful here in the glorious Capitol."

"Yes, certainly. And that is just the buildings!" Toby says which sparks up more laughter from the Capitol citizens.

"We do love our colours here! Anyway, your score in your individual assessment." Caesar says, suddenly changing the subject; almost too fast for Toby to process. "That is certainly impressive. How do you think you received such a score?"

"I suppose I just honed into my skills from the many years I spent on the docks. Catching fish isn't not the easiest so you have to have quick reflexes and good hands to create the right sort of nets."

"Do you think you can survive the arena?" Flickerman asks.

"I will do everything to the best of my ability to be with the one I love." Toby says, fully honest. He feels his heart tug slightly.

"The one you love? Who is that then? Someone back home? Someone in the Capitol?" Flickerman asks, trying to get an answer. A few women scream as if to say 'Yes, it is me!'.

Toby knows better though and knows he should protect his and Ginny's relationship for as long as possible.

"I cannot tell you that, Caesar."

"Oh?" Caesar leans forward and looks at Toby. "Cannot or will not?"

"Will not, unfortunately." Toby says.

"Oh, you're no fun!" Flickerman says and the crowd laughs.

"Sorry." Toby says, shrugging his shoulders and not feeling at all apologetic.

"I'm sure we will find out all in the arena." Caesar says. Toby's fake smile falters for a moment before he regains it and shrugs his left shoulder.

"Perhaps."

The crowd laughs and begins to clap. Flickerman grabs Toby's wrist and they both stand.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Toby!" Caesar announces and shakes Toby's hand once more before sending him on his way and announcing the next Tribute.

...

"How do you think you did tonight?" Ginny asks as she climbs into the bed after changing.

"I think it was alright. You did amazing; the crowd loved you as did Caesar." Toby says, allowing Ginny to rest her head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and holds her close.

"It did surprise me when he kissed my hand. I was watching some of the others and he didn't do it to any of the other girls." Ginny says. Toby kisses her forehead and pulls the covers up, over the two of them.

"It happens every year. It is never clear with the males but he always kisses the hand of his favourite female Tribute. It seems that it is you this year."

"That's a bit creepy." Ginny comments, closing her eyes.

"That is just Caesar Flickerman to the core. We have never known him different."

Silence follows between them and Ginny moves herself closer.

"What's on your mind?" Toby asks, having a hunch.

"Tomorrow. How are we going to get our wands into the arena?"

"We will find a way, Ginny. We always do." Toby assures, not sure himself.

"What if we die?" Ginny whispers after a moment.

"That will not be happening, Ginny. We will survive through this." Toby says. "If need be, I will try to apparate whilst inside the arena to get us back to Hogwarts."

"You know how to apparate?" Ginny asks, surprise in her tone.

"McGonagall trained me as best as she could. She told me that I had the most potential out of everyone from Panem at Hogwarts so gave me extra lessons." Toby says. "Although, that no longer matters. She hasn't exactly come to save us, has she?"

"She is probably trying her best to get here without attracting attention." Ginny says, sitting up slightly and looking at Toby.

"It has been long enough for someone as clever as McGonagall to come and get us." Toby argues. Ginny huffs and lays back down.

"I know, but she is trying. Either way, we are going into the arena tomorrow and we do not know whether we are going to survive the first day or not." Ginny says. "We need to know how to find each other when we are split at the beginning."

"Red sparks?"

"Red sparks."

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter 6 - Let The Games Begin

**A/N: Well, a small section of my exams have been completed and my golly, there is a lot of work behind it! It is very nice to be able to have a break from revision; that break is writing fanfiction and reading! (of course!)**

 **Thank you very much for all of your reviews and kind messages about this story - I am glad that you are enjoying my work!**

 **For those who may be interested - I have posted the first chapter of my A Court of Thorns and Roses/A Court of Mist and Fury fanfic. So, if interested, go and check it out!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

"Remember to take care of yourself; put yourself first if you want to survive and fight as long as possible." Rowtan tells Toby as he helps him put on his jacket. It appears to be waterproof, the clothes seem partially insulated and the boots on his feet give him the impression that it will be rough terrain.

"Do you think that there is a high chance for Ginny and me getting sponsors?" Toby asks, zipping up his jacket. Rowtan smiles.

"My dear boy, you and that girl of yours will have multitudes of sponsors to spare." the stylist says, shifting some of Toby's hair. When he turns around for a moment, Toby pretends to itch his leg, feeling the length of this wand tucked within his sock to avoid detection. He has charmed a pocket to appear within the arena where his wand will be stored; easier to get to than its current hiding place.

"Thirty seconds." a robotic voice announces.

"Well, that is certainly good to hear." Toby says, jumping on the spot to calm his nerves before heading over to the plate that will take him upwards.

"At first I wasn't very keen on you but I really do wish you all the best in the arena." Rowtan says, adjusting Toby's jacket on his shoulders.

"Twenty seconds."

"Thank you, Rowtan. You are the best Capitol member I have met; you seem to understand us." Toby says, patting Rowtan's shoulder for a moment before bringing his hand back in before the tube falls.

"Ten seconds."

"It is because I used to be a member of the Districts, Toby. I know exactly what you are going through."

"What?" Toby's surprise is crystal clear in his voice.

"You have to protect yourself in this world. Yourself or those you love most."

The tube falls around Toby as he looks at Rowtan, shock still marring his face. The stylist gives Toby an encouraging smile and takes a step back as Toby begins to rise into the arena above.

 _'I have to protect Ginny. I will protect her. She will go home to her family if it is the last thing I do.'_

 _..._

"Well, it appears that it shall not be a desert, freezing cold or water based." Turnety says as she places the jacket on Ginny's body and zips it up. "The jacket suggests woods to me from what I have seen in previous years."

Ginny observes her outfit. She feels the solid weight of her wand in a hidden pocket on her trousers, a glamour spell placed on top of it so she, and only she, can pull it out when it is needed.

"I'm used to woodland as it surrounds my house back home so it will not be too hard for me, hopefully."

"Well I wish you the best of luck in the arena. You and that boy will be absolutely fine when it comes to sponsors - you are all anyone can talk about in the Capitol! Just stay alive through the bloodbath and you will be good to survive."

"What is the best way to survive the bloodbath?" Ginny asks, knowing what Turnety is talking about after Toby explained it the night before.

"Kill those who are the biggest threat to you and if anyone comes to attack you, attack them first." Turnety says, not batting an eyelid about the subject.

"Thirty seconds."

Turnety guides Ginny to the plate that will take her up to the arena. Ginny stands and looks at the stylist before her, her electric blue hair styled so it points out from the back of her head and ends in an arrow shape.

"You may not want to kill but it is your only chance to survive." Turnety says and then appears hesitant.

"What is it?"

"Twenty seconds."

"I know what you and Toby were planning; to take magic in. I will not tell anyone, do not fear. Personally, I think it is horrible that you were brought here. However, it may not help you."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asks, heart pumping.

"Ten seconds."

"President Snow has all sorts up his sleeves. He will not make it easy. Remain strong and find a way out - as many of you as you can. Go home and never return."

The tube above Ginny begins to fall to encase her so escape is impossible.

"I have faith in you." Turnety says before Ginny is blocked off from her completely. She gives the stylist a small smile before feeling the plate beneath her move. Turnety nods and places a hand on her heart.

"I can do this. I will do what needs to be done to protect Toby." Ginny says to herself as she ascends into danger.

...

As he rises up into the arena, Toby notices the long grass that surrounds him. He quickly spots where Ginny is and breathes a sigh of relief that she is only two plates down to his right. He looks around and notices thick, dense forest surrounding them.

His gaze then goes to the cornucopia and what surrounds it. He sees that there are plenty of weapons to choose from and his eye is drawn to the multiple belts of throwing knives.

 _'Those are what I need to go for.'_ he thinks.

He continues to scan the cornucopia as Claudius Templesmith's voice echoes around the arena, making his annual speech. Toby spots a multitude of rucksacks and questions what is in them but has a feelin that they could be filled with food and other supplies.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!" Templesmith says and a countdown begins.

 _Ten_

Toby looks at Ginny and then signals towards the forest surrounding them; a signal to tell her to go where she will be safer.

 _Nine_

Ginny shakes her head, tilting it towards the cornucopia instead; she wants to help him, ensure his safety.

 _Eight_

Toby looks around the rest of the arena, noting his surroundings; making a mental map.

 _Seven_

The other Tributes get ready, leaning forward slightly as they prepare to run.

 _Six_

The Careers have smiles on their faces - their Hogwarts companions watching them in fear; unsure whether they wish to follow or not.

 _Five_

Toby and Ginny make eye contact.

 _Four_

A slight nod.

 _Three_

They reach for their wands.

 _Two_

The other Tributes notice, their eyes going wide - a huge distraction.

 _One_

A loud horn sounds and Toby sprints straight towards the cornucopia. He spots Ginny doing the same and takes some enjoyment in the fact that some of the Tributes were phased by his and Ginny's success in bringing in their wands.

"Stupefy!" Toby shouts towards District One Career, Marcus, who has almost reached the cornucopia. A few more spells fly before he reaches the entrance and immediately takes up a belt of throwing knives. He quickly throws them at those who are heading straight towards him and Ginny.

"Grab a belt Ginny!" Toby shouts. He notices Brendol, Tilly and Celaena trying to reach them, their wands also out as they ensure safe passage.

Moments later, they have reached the mouth of the cornucopia and fight off anyone trying to enter. Ginny throws her knives towards the three Careers who are making their way into the surrounding forest as they realise it is not possible to get to the cornucopia. The majority of knives hit them; predominantly in the legs which prevents them getting away easily and planning a goo attack for the next few days.

"Ginny!" Ava, Slytherin and District Eight originator, shouts, practically dragging her partner Gavin who has a large cut on his cheek along towards the cornucopia. Ginny, wand up, goes out of the cornucopia to help them. Toby looks around and notices Lexa, a fellow Gryffindor kneeling on the ground, her hand over a wound in her fellow Tributes leg.

"Lexa?" Toby calls out and begins walking towards her, cautious.

"It's Killigan." she calls back and mumbles something to Killigan. Toby quickens his pace until he sees the wound on Killigan's leg.

"What happened?"

"Bridget from District Two. We smuggled in our wands, she smuggled in a knife instead." Lexa says, looking around before looking back at the wound before her.

"We may be lucky and find some medicine in the cornucopia." Toby says and looks over to Ginny who is hugging Tilly and Celeana. "Ginny?"

Ginny ceases hugging and looks over at Toby.

"What's wrong?" she asks, noticing the body on the ground.

"Killigan is hurt. Can you see if there is any medication in there?"

Ginny nods and begins rummaging in some of the bags.

"Hold on Killigan, we are going to move you in the easiest way possible." Toby says and helps Lexa stand. "Go over to the cornucopia and ensure that there is no one hanging around."

"Of course. Thank you, Toby." Lexa says, running over to the others.

Toby takes a step back.

"Wingardium Leviosa." he says and Killigan's body slowly floats up to eye-level. Toby carefully guides him over to the cornucopia where Ginny has laid out some fabric. Next to the fabric is a large metal pot and a roll of bandage.

"I found some ointment we can put on the wound and then we can wrap it; prevent infection." Ginny says and moves away so Celaena can take over.

Toby takes Ginny aside and talks quietly to her.

"The cannons haven't gone off, Ginny. It means that there is either some fighting still going on elsewhere or it seems like we are going to be attacked. The Gamemakers are watching us and they usually blast those cannons by now."

Ginny looks at Toby, at the group of wizards before her and then back at her partner.

"We need to check around the back of the cornucopia; someone may be laying in wait." Ginny says. She goes over to one of the belts of knives and straps it around her waist. She takes on in her hand as Toby grabs two spears.

"We will be back in a moment." Toby announces to the group and he and Ginny walk out. They place their wands back in their hiding places and take a strong grip of their weapons.

After taking a few steps away from the cornucopia, Ginny hears the sound of sobbing and slowly approaches it. She stops when she sees two blood soaked bodies laying motionless with Tamara, Hufflepuff and District One - Hogwarts originator.

"Tamara?" Toby asks, dropping an arm thus his spear slightly.

"Marcus and Bridget - they killed Christopher and Brendon as they tried to defend themselves and save me." Tamara cries, blood on her own clothes.

"Are you injured?" Ginny asks, moving forwards a step.

"No," Tamara says, standing now. "but I refuse to be a part of this. You will not do what I wish to be done to me, so I will do it myself." She reaches into her pocket and removes her wand. With a deep breath, she snaps it in two.

"What are you doing?" Ginny shrieks. "We will return to Hogwarts, Tamara!"

"No, Ginny." Tamara says, dropping the pieces of her wand on the dead bodies. "I am doing this, because I refuse to kill anyone. We promised we would do no such thing but it seems as if some people have forgotten that." She gestures to the bodies on the ground beside her.

Tamara smiles weakly at Ginny and then begins to walk towards the edge of the open field.

Suddenly, the cannons sound. Tamara stops moving as the echoes burn through each of their bodies.

Toby and Ginny count each blast.

 _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine..._

"The Capitol will not be very happy with that result." Toby says, watching as Tamara starts walking again. "There are usually more deaths in the bloodbath."

They both look out at the open field before them, spotting the occasional body.

"We should gather them up." Toby says, looking back at Ginny. "A hovercraft will come and collect the bodies soon but it would be nicer, and the kindest thing to do, to place them together."

Ginny nods solemnly as she sees that Tamara has disappeared from sight.

"Alright."

They walk back to the cornucopia and see that Killigan's wound has been dealt with.

"Did you find anyone?" Lexa asks, standing.

"Tamara was there but she has walked off and intends to be caught and killed. Christopher and Brendon are dead." Ginny says. "We are going to collect up the bodies and place them in the field as the hovercraft will collect them soon."

"I would like to do it." Celaena says and Ava volunteers too.

Ginny looks at Toby.

"I will have a look though the cornucopia." Toby says. "You have known them longer and I know what we will need to survive."

Ginny looks at Celaena and Ava before nodding.

"Alright."

Ginny and the others go out into the field and the three begin gently moving the bodies with their magic; except Ava who has no wand with her.

"Lumos." The tip of Toby's wand glows as he enters the gloom of the back of the cornucopia. He notice large sheets of fabric on the floor in a pile and an array of weapons. He looks around and notices the rucksacks - just enough for one each. He opens one and sees it filled with items of food - predominantly dried, a metal bottle that is almost certainly empty, lengths of rope and other survival items that will come in handy. He picks the biggest ones for him and Ginny and then lays the others in the entrance of the cornucopia.

"There is one rucksack each." Toby says to Killigan who is laying flat on the ground for a moment, adjusting to the pain in his leg before he attempts to move.

A large boom suddenly sounds in the arena and Toby's gut tells him who it is.

 _'We will find out tonight either way.'_

He goes back towards the rear end of the cornucopia and finds a stack of wooden crates. He opens one and finds packets of dried meats.

"I found some lunch for us, guys!" Toby announces, pulling out 4 packets for the nine of them to share.

 _'It has to last.'_ he thinks.

"Toby, can I talk to you?" Gavin pipes up, looking sheepish.

"What's wrong?" Toby asks, placing the packets down beside the pile of rucksacks.

"Ava and I, we want to try this on our own."

"You want to split and go into the forest?"

Gavin nods, wringing his hands together for a moment before itching his cheek lightly; the wound having been treated.

"Not because we don't want to be with you, but to find our friends who are out there somewhere. We have friends out there and we do not know whether they are alive or not." Gavin says.

"Will you come back here?" Toby asks, picking up two of the rucksacks and two packs of the dried meat.

"That will probably depend on whether we survive or if we do not find anyone else. We do not have our wands with us as we didn't believe it was possible to bring them in - even Slytherins have limits to danger." Gavin says, watching as Ava walks back towards them. The sound of the hovercraft fills the air and the Tributes watch as it picks up the bodies one by one. After a mere minute, the hovercraft moves to pick up the other body from the forest before disappearing.

"You will have enough supplies for a few days. Feel free to come back at any time; you have nothing to fear from us." Toby says, handing Gavin and Ava a rucksack each.

"Thank you, Toby. Hopefully we will see you again." Ava says, stepping forward and hugging Toby before hugging Ginny and Celaena.

"You will. We will see each other again and return to where we belong; Hogwarts."

...

Night falls after a long first day. No other cannons were shot during the day which sends reassurance to the group that no more of their friends have died; yet. Despite the fact they are so visible, they created a fire in front of the cornucopia and are planning on using it as their shelter until they find their way out.

As Ginny and Toby are conversing about their plan for the next day, finding those who threaten them most, the Capitol anthem begins to blare. The faces of the dead are projected into the air before them.

 _District One, female - Tamara, from Hogwarts._

Toby looks down for a moment, feeling guilty about not stopping her; not saving her.

 _District Two, male - Olvi, from Hogwarts._

Tilly wraps her arms around herself as she sees her best friend's picture appear.

 _District Three, female - Marcille, from Panem._

Brendol feels some guilt at not stopping Marcille's decision to be alone in the arena.

 _District Five, male - Brendon, from Panem._

 _District Six, female - Marcol, from Panem._

 _District Six, male - Daniel, from Hogwarts._

Toby, Ginny, Lexa and Killigan all push back their sadness at seeing their two fellow Gryffindors; two great people, now dead.

 _District Seven, male - Luke, from Panem._

Celaena releases a small gasp when she sees her partner in the sky, surprised because he was so strong. A small tear escapes her eye as she knows she will not see her friend again.

 _District Nine, male - Charlie, from Hogwarts._

 _District Ten, male - Peter, from Panem._

Tilly stands up and retreats further into the cornucopia were she cannot see the images; seeing her partner's image crossing the line.

 _District Eleven, male - Christopher, from Hogwarts._

The anthem ends and the group is quiet; only the crackling of their fire is heard. Whilst the majority of deaths had been Panem originators, every death is mourned silently.

"Four people from Hogwarts have died." Brendol says, pushing up his glasses. "McGonagall should have saved us by now; none of us would be dead if she had come."

"Either way, Brendol," Ginny says quietly. "McGonagall could not have prevented this. We must stick together to survive and hope that we can get through this and go home."

Brendol shakes his head before staring into the fire in front of him. "I knew Charlie and Christopher; we worked together a lot back at Hogwarts. Now, they are both dead. I cannot take this."

Toby scoots closer to Ginny, placing his arm around her shoulders. She rests her head on his shoulder, placing her left hand over the one dangling from her shoulder.

They all stare into the flames, mourning their friends who are no more and realising that they are not as safe as they were lead to believe.

"Welcome to the brutality of the Games."

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - Inflicting Punishment

**A/N: Hello! Well, all of my exams are now officially over and complete! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Nice long holiday and plenty of time to write I do hope!**

 **Thank you for your reviews for the previous chapter and thank you to those who have pressed on the favourite and follow button - WELCOME!**

 **Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

"It really isn't wise to split up." Ginny says, grabbing the sleeve of Brendol's jacket, preventing him from leaving. "You saw how many deaths there were from the first day alone; that was without knowledge of everything around us, how people were going to act and how these Games were going to be. Each day will produce new dangers that we are better fighting those dangers together."

"I told you last night Ginny, I told you all, I cannot do this." Brendol says placing his hand on top of his friend's to pry it off so he can walk away.

"I know that this is hard, trust me." Toby says, stepping forward so he is behind Ginny. "But we really should not be splitting up. Doing that now will mean that you have the large risk of quickly dying out there; almost certainly not from natural causes either."

"Perhaps that is for the best." Brendol says, pulling his arm away now.

"No, Brendol..." Ginny says, trying to grab hold once again but to no avail. Brendol ignores her and goes into the lip of the cornucopia, picking up his rucksack full of food and essential items. He shoulders the straps before picking up a spear and facing Ginny again.

"I'm sorry Ginny, but I would rather try and survive on my own than risk watching others die." he says, moving forward and away from the cornucopia.

Toby places his hands on Ginny's shoulders, ready to tighten his grip if she lunges towards their friend.

"If you're sure about this Brendol," Toby says. "then we cannot stop you from leaving. But, know that we are strongly against it."

Ginny tries stepping forward, as Toby predicted, but cannot thanks to her love's grip. She fights him slightly, keeping her eyes trained on Brendol in front of her.

"Please, don't. We can find a way out of here." Ginny says, almost begging. She fights Toby's grip further but he does not relent. "We will get out of here. If we stick together, more of us will get out and return home."

"Goodbye Ginny." Brendol mumbles. He nods to Toby, spares a look at the rest of the group and gives a small smile, apologetic, to Ginny.

He turns around and walks across the field, his body pushing the long strands of grass around. It does not take long for him to disappear from their view into the gradual darkness of the surrounding woods.

"He can't leave us." Ginny says, quietly. Toby's arms go around her waist and his chin on her shoulder to help keep her in place and support her, letting her know he is there; not leaving.

"I know. But, if he wants to go, we cannot stop him. It is his choice."

"It's the wrong choice." Ginny whispers and stops fighting Toby's grip on her.

...

"How are we going to get home?" Killigan asks, looking at Toby who is staring at Ginny who is listening to Lexa within the cornucopia. "We haven't spoken about it yet."

"Honestly? Right now, I'm not sure." Toby says. He uses the tip of his blade to swirl patterns into the dirt by his feet. Killigan sits up further, hissing slightly at the pain that burns deep in his leg. "You need more medicine on that."

"I'm alright for now." Killigan says, ceasing his movements and waving it off like it is nothing. "We need to focus on what we are going to do over the next few days, Toby. Brendol has gone now. It is just us together and a few others roaming around."

"Do you have any ideas?" Tilly asks, walking over to them accompanied by Celaena after scouting around the back of the cornucopia.

"We have our wands." Toby says, placing the blade down. "We just need to find a way of using them to help us get out of here."

"That isn't going to be easy." Celaena says, sitting beside Toby. Lexa nods in agreement.

"Not at all." Toby says, and waves his empty hand, signalling to the entire arena. "The Gamemakers have eyes and ears everywhere. They can hear every word we are saying right now."

"But if that is true," Lexa says, her brow furrowed. "then why haven't they done something to us for having our wands?"

Killigan, Celaena, Lexa and Tilly focus their gaze upon Toby. He shrugs and looks outwards, at the empty field and trees beyond.

"They don't need to just yet." Toby says, quietly. "The Games are their weapon to destroy us. Us having our wands just makes it more interesting for everyone in the Capitol."

"Then, we should find a way to make it very interesting indeed..." Killigan says with a smile.

...

"You know that we couldn't ever stop him, right?" Lexa asks Ginny who is staring at a random spot within the confines of the cornucopia.

"We could have tried harder to stop him though. _I_ should have tried harder." Ginny says, connecting her eyes to Lexa's.

"Brendol is smart, Ginny. He is going to be alright out there." Lexa assures, placing her hands on Ginny's shoulders.

"How can you be sure?"

Lexa smiles sadly. "Because if he wasn't a Ravenclaw, he would certainly be one of us; a Gryffindor."

Ginny shares her smile for the slightest moment. She takes in a deep breath before releasing it and rubbing her hands over her eyes.

"We need to do something instead of sitting around." Ginny says, drops her arms and walks further in to where her preferred weapons are stacked together.

"What do you mean?" Lexa asks, confused by Ginny's words.

"It is time to be a true Gryffindor, Lexa." Ginny says. "It is time to be brave."

...

Ginny walks back to the mouth of the cornucopia, ready to go. She has a knife belt slung low on her hips, decorated with a row of throwing knives and a large blade dangling on her left hand side within a leather scabbard. On each thigh, she also has a smaller belt of throwing knives. On her back lies a quiver of arrows, the bow over her shoulder. Finally, in her hand resides her wand which she plans to tuck into the belt in the next few moments.

Toby turns and sees her. He immediately stands and looks her over.

"Why are you dressed like you are about to go and hunt down everyone in this arena?" he asks, placing a hand on Ginny's cheek.

"We need to scout around the edge of this field, Toby. The others who are out there are either deep in the surrounding forest or are on the edge, watching us and waiting for a moment of weakness." Ginny says, going to her rucksack and taking a large swig of water from her water bottle.

"You want to do this?" Toby asks, looking for conformation he is sure to get.

"I am going out there to help our friends, Toby." Ginny says, taking another sip of water. She places the bottle on her belt, attaching it via a large clip on the bottle's edge. he pushes her rucksack further into the cornucopia; shielding it from the sun.

"You shouldn't go out alone, Ginny." Lexa says, placing her hand on Ginny's arm. "It is too dangerous."

"I'll go with her." Toby says, already walking into the cornucopia and collecting his weapons.

"What about your rucksacks?" Tilly asks from her place beside Killigan. "Won't you need supplies?"

"I don't plan on being gone for very long, Tilly." Ginny says. "You guys will be partially more vulnerable with us going around the arena. We will definitely be targets so the less we carry the better. Besides, we aren't really going far and I have my water on my belt."

Toby walks out of the cornucopia, his own knife belt on his hips, a blade over his back and his wand in hand.

"We will be able to see you at every point on our search. If trouble arises, we will run over and help." Toby says, making eye contact with the group around him. He smiles slightly before turning around and walking out the cornucopia, Ginny following behind.

...

Just over an hour later, the pair have made their way around about a third of the outskirts of the open field.

"How long do you think these Games will go on for?" Ginny asks, keeping her eye on the woods before her.

"It can't ever be predicted in that way, unfortunately." Toby says.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asks, brows furrowed.

"The Games always go on for as long as the Gamemakers decide. They then like to allow a day or two of it being slow, calm. When they, and the rest of the Capitol, get bored, the Gamemakers will then liven everything up."

Ginny's reply sticks in her throat when she sees movement within the trees. She takes hold of a throwing knife in her hand and squints, trying to make out whatever is in there.

A shape drops from the trees and stalks forward towards the pair. Light breaks through the trees and lights up the creature in front of them. Toby places an arm in front of Ginny and pushes her back behind him slightly; a natural response for him, to protect her, now.

"It's a mutt." Toby says, watching as the creature doesn't advance any closer. His tense muscles relax ever so slightly as he forces himself to not feel as on edge.

"It looks like a decomposing badger." Ginny says, placing her knife back in her holder.

"It is to ensure that the Tributes starve slowly unless they have supplies from the cornucopia or do some serious hunting. By making them that way, they cannot be eaten."

"Best to avoid them then?" Ginny asks, stepping back so she is ready to continue their search.

"Best to avoid them."

...

After a few hours, Toby and Ginny's search is completed and they arrive back at the cornucopia.

"Did you find anyone?" Killigan asks, still in his place on the floor. Lexa sits beside him, sharpening the end of a stick to a sharp point to pass the time.

"No, we didn't." Ginny says, removing the bow and quiver and placing them down against the cornucopia's walls. She then unclips her water bottle to place it back in her rucksack. "Any incidents that we didn't notice?"

"None, other than Killigan hated having that medicine back on is leg and attempted to fight us off but failed." Tilly says, with a slight smile.

"It really stings!" Killigan exclaims. "Can you seriously blame me?"

"So?" Tilly teases, sticking her tongue out.

The jolly mood, however, is quickly broken with the sound of the cannon. A large boom which is then followed by female screams. Ginny quickly readies herself, ensuring her wand is still in her belt and placing a throwing knife in her hand.

Celaena moves forward, sword in one hand and wand in the other.

"What happened?" she asks, just as the hovercraft appears to their left, silencing the screaming. It lowers enough so it is hovering over the trees. A moment later, it rises and disappears as if it was never there.

"Another one of us has died." Ginny says, simply. Celaena bows her head for a moment before it shoots up again; the screaming has resumed.

"Who is that?" Toby asks, holding his spear tighter in his hand.

From the same direction as the hovercraft, Lucille, District Five Tribute and Hogwarts originator, runs out from the trees screaming. Blood soaks her shirt, runs down her bare arms and seems to be matted in her hair. Ava runs behind her, hands covered in blood; one of which is holding a bloodied blade.

"Lucille!" Celaena runs out towards her fellow Slytherin, followed swiftly by Ginny who throws a knife into Ava's leg, causing her to fall and drop her weapon.

Lucille continues to run until she reaches Celaena's arms. She draws back, looking her friend over. Celaena notices a large gash on Lucille's forehead and dangerously deep cuts on her arms.

"It's alright. We are going to get you patched up, Luci." Celaena reassures. She turns to Toby and signals him to help her out. Toby spares a glance over to Ginny and then drops his spear so he can help. He places Lucille's left arm over his shoulders to support her and with Celaena, they take her back to the cornucopia were Lexa and Tilly take over to start treatment.

Ginny moves forward, removing the large blade from its scabbard on her hip, pointing it at Ava, and her free hand grazes over another throwing knife; just in case.

"Why?" A single word which makes Ava look up at Ginny.

"This is what the Games are, Ginny. I don't want to die so I will do whatever it takes to survive." Ava stares up at Ginny, pain beginning to show in her eyes.

"No. We can beat this. We can survive; together." Ginny says, her words delivered passionately.

Ava laughs harshly, her hands gripping her leg around the knife which is clearly causing her pain she cannot ignore any longer.

"You don't understand." Ava says, her tone light and bubbly despite the situation at hand. "I didn't want this but the Games change you. You become something you're not and you will never change back."

Ginny narrows her eyes and looks at the blood covering Ava's hands.

"You killed whoever was taken by the hovercraft, didn't you." Ginny does not need to ask after she just witnessed her trying to kill Lucille.

"I did." Ava says, almost proudly. Ginny shifts on her feet, a thought coming to mind.

"Was it Gavin?" she asks, hoping that it was one of the 'Careers' instead.

Ava merely nods.

Ginny, fast as lightning, extracts one of the throwing knives from her belt and plunges it into Ava's stomach.

"Why would you do that to him? He was innocent!" Ginny shouts. The words and the cry of pain from Ava attracts Toby and Celaena's attention. Leaving Lucille in Tilly, Lexa and Killigan's care, the pair stand and run over to Ginny who has now extracted her wand.

"Ginny? What's going on?" Celaena asks, concerned at Ginny's reaction. She notices the knife now protruding from Ava's stomach.

"She killed Gavin."

Rage fills Celaena's body and Toby has to place a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to restrain her.

"How could you do that?! He trusted you!"

Ava chokes out a laugh at Celaena's words, blood bubbling out from her lips and dribbling down her jaw. Ginny sees her hand reach down and pull the knife out of her leg and she realises Ava's train of thought.

Her wand is immediately extracted.

"Expelliarmus!"

The knife flies off, out of Ava's reach so she is unable to kill herself.

"You don't get to take the easy way out." Ginny says through gritted teeth, her wand pointed threateningly at Ava. Celaena extracts her wand too and moves closer to Ava. "Not after what you've just done."

"We trusted you. We welcomed you and this is how you have treated us?" Celaena spits. She raises her wand and without batting an eyelid, delivers an Unforgivable Curse. "Crucio!"

Ava's body begins to writhe on the floor and Toby lets go of Ginny to pull Celaena away, breaking her concentration thus breaking the spell's hold.

"We can't do that!" Toby says, pulling the Slytherin away so the spell is fully broken.

"We have to!" Celaena exclaims.

"No, we don't." Toby says calmly. He ensures that Celaena cannot get to Ava again, in fear of what she may do.

"Yes," Ginny says, deadly calm. "we do."

She glances at Toby, seeing his eyes go wide in recognition before she turns back. She channels all of her hate, all of her anger.

"Ginny, no-"

"Avada kedavra!"

Shock flashes in Ava's eyes and the sound of the cannon that echoes across the arena describes exactly what has occurred. Ginny places her wand in the belt on her waist and walks back to the cornucopia. She sees Lucille laying on some tarp just within the cornucopia, Tilly trying to clean out her wounds whilst Lexa holds her head.

"Let me help." Ginny says, quietly. She extracts her wand and kneels beside Lucille.

"Are you alright?" she whispers, noticing a haunted look in Ginny's eyes.

Ginny simply nods. "Vulnera Sanentur."

The wounds on Lucille slowly fade and the vanish entirely, leaving absolutely no trace. She sits up slowly, a look of wonder in her eyes.

"I can't feel any pain."

The sound of the hovercraft ceases any further conversation and Ginny watches as Toby grabs a scrap piece of fabric to clean off the knives that were previously embedded in Ava. She sees the hovercraft fly off after a moment, taking her victim with it.

Ginny stands and walks out of the mouth of the cornucopia and goes around to the right. Toby follows her and watches her leans her back against the metal that has been heated by the sun over the course of the day.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" he asks, placing his hand tentatively on her arm. He breathes a short sigh of relief that she doesn't brush him away.

As before, she simply nods.

...

"How safe do you think we really are?" Killigan asks, now sitting up fully after the medicine has finally worked on his leg and the pain is barely registering.

"We are never safe." Toby points out. "We are in the Games. But for now, we seem to be doing pretty well."

Ginny stares into the fire in front of her, her mind preoccupied by her actions earlier on in the day.

"We can survive for long if we work together." Tilly says, with confidence. "Ava and Gavin went off on their own and look at what happened to them."

"I don't want to split." Celaena says. "Lucile is my last reminder of my house. I don't want to lose anymore friends." Tears form in her eyes and she briskly wipes them away with the back of her hand.

"We are going to stay together, right?" Lexa asks.

"We will not lose anymore of us." Toby says. He twirls the wood of his wand in between his fingers. "We will find our way home and we will never return to this place again."

He looks over to Ginny, making eye contact with her.

In her eyes; sorrow, anger, guilt.

In his eyes; determination, courage, love.

"I promise."

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - A Taste of Home

**A/N: Well guys, I'M BAAAAAAACK! Florida was absolutely amazing and I feel like I needed a lot more time out there to fully and completely enjoy everything! After long days, wind down time was definitely required so fanfiction plans were being written! Hopefully, this chapter is alright - I was worried that this would not be posted in time and now it is being posted slightly early as I am going on holiday to Barcelona on Tuesday and don't have enough time to get everything up and posted! Apologies for any typos present - a tired mind does not necessarily pick up on all of the mistakes!**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews! As always, they mean the complete world to me!**

 **Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

Day Three of the Games increases Toby's suspicions regarding the Gamemakers' intentions for this year. It passes without death and without interruption; practically a normal day. Well, as normal as it can be when you are stuck in an arena. Ginny did question Toby about it the previous evening but he could not provide any answers - only the Gamemakers have that ability.

Now, the midday sun mercilessly casts damagingly hot rays down into the arena; threatening harm to its inhabitants if they stay unhidden. Toby stands around the back of the cornucopia, lounging within the shade it is providing, munching on an apple as his eyes trace the perimeter of the woods before him.

"Hey."

Toby turns around to see Killigan just behind him.

"Joining me?" Toby asks and is answered with a smile.

"Thought you would like purely male company since we are the only guys left now Brendol is gone and we are dominated by girls. Their chatting becomes annoying after a while." Killigan walks up so he is beside Toby. He scans the view before speaking again. "Do you really think we have a chance?"

Killigan's voice is wavering slightly, betraying and hugely contrasting his calm façade.

"We have to believe that we do. Without hope, fear will overcome us and we will have no chance to get back home."

Killigan's head snaps around to look at Toby, shock and anger in his eyes.

"I am not returning to the Districts!" he says, his fists clenched at his sides. Toby places a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"That is not home, Killigan." he says reassuringly. "Home is where we can eat chocolate frogs and every flavour jelly beans at midnight and drink butterbeers down in Hogsmeade. Home is where we sit beside the fire in the common room in Gryffindor Tower. Home is where we sit down three times a day to a grand feast that ensures we are well fed, every single day.

"Home is where we feel safe and cared for. The Districts do not provide that for us."

Killigan nods in agreement.

"Hogwarts is our home. The Quidditch, the food, the spells; they all scream home." Killigan comments.

"I have always learnt that you do not have a home until you just miss it." Toby says, his voice quieter. "When we left the Districts, I did not spare a thought to what was happening in Panem. But from the moment we were reaped, I have done nothing but miss everything about Hogwarts; even that damned Whomping Willow. I intend to return home."

Killigan draws Toby in for a hug. They part a moment later, sad smiles on their faces.

"Me too. Hogwarts is where we belong."

...

"Are you alright?" Ginny asks when Tilly and Celaena switch for their guard duty and Toby walks in beside Killigan, their sad smiles lingering on their lips.

"Just thinking about home. How much we miss it." Killigan says, speaking for the pair of them. He pats Toby's shoulder before walking over to Lucille and sits beside her.

Ginny moves forward from her place beside Lexa and Lucille and wraps her arms around Toby's neck, hugging him tightly.

"We will go home, Toby." she says into his ear. Toby's arms wrap themselves around her waist to press and hold her closer. They sway very slightly, on the spot, the sound of each other's breath in the other's ear.

"You sound very sure of that, Gin. You tend to doubt it." Toby comments, partially surprised at the display of positivity.

Ginny audibly sighs.

"I have been missing home too. I crave a butterbeer and miss the freedom of being able to fly around the Quidditch pitch."

Toby laughs very slightly.

"Me too, Gin. Me too."

...

The rest of the day creeps by very slowly. There is no sign of movement until the sun is a mere hour from setting on the horizon. However, the calm of the day is, of course, short-lived.

Someone suddenly emerges from the edge of the forest and heads straight towards the cornucopia.

"Weapons." Ginny says, gripping her wand tight as she places multiple throwing knives swiftly into her belt.

Celaena walks forwards slightly, squinting to see clearer. "I think that is Rose - Brendol's friend, Charlie, was her partner."

"Is she armed?" Lexa questions, a crossbow in her hands; an arrow prepared to fly.

"She doesn't look it." Tilly comments, her hand gripping a large blade.

"I don't think so, no." Celaena says, hoping she is correct.

As if to answer Lexa's question, Rose raises her muddy hands and reduces the pace of her movements; she is unarmed and no danger.

"Shall I go and talk to her?" Lucille asks, standing from her place on the floor.

"You rest, Luc." Celaena says, turning to spare a glance at her friend. She reaches out and pushes on her shoulder. "You still don't have all of your strength and I don't want to risk it."

Lucille nods and settles back down.

"Rose? What are you doing here?" Ginny asks, raising her wand and projecting her voice.

"I need your help. Being alone is too hard and too dangerous." Rose's voice is harsh as if she has not had anything to drink since their arrival four days previously.

"Why us?" Toby asks, keeping close to Ginny.

"With you, I can survive. You are my only chance." Rose's voice drops slightly, the begging evident.

"Not quite."

Within seconds, the cannon goes off and Rose falls, a knife embedded in her neck.

Their eyes go to Marcus who is holding one of Ginny's throwing knife belts in his hand as he retreats. Before they can stop her, Ginny launches into a sprint and chases after the Hufflepuff.

"Ginny!"

The voices of her friends behind her do not stop her, but spur her on instead.

"Ginny! Wait!" Toby's voice only just reaches her pounding ears and she feels partially guilty before she realises that she is doing this for a reason; to protect.

She knows that she should have kept her weapon belts further inside of the cornucopia. However, nothing can be done about it now.

As they enter the woods, Ginny has the ability to power on whilst extracting a knife from her belt. Having lived next to woods all of her life, Ginny recognises how to navigate her way safely through and avoid tripping hazards. Marcus, she hopes, is not as lucky.

Ginny throws the knife, quickly grabbing another, and sees it sink into Marcus' right shoulder. His cry echoes through the trees but he stubbornly keeps going.

 _'I don't think so...'_

Just as Ginny is about to throw her next knife into his leg, he trips on a root and crashes hard to the forest floor and Ginny swiftly catches up. As she leans over him, she sees two knives in his hand, the belt no longer in sight and certainly discarded once the meagre amount of knives were removed.

"Expelliarmus!" The knives fly off into a nearby bush and out of Marcus' reach.

"You won't kill me with that pathetic piece of wood." Marcus says, a sneer on his face. "You don't have the guts."

"Really? Because this piece of wood is the reason why Ava is now dead." Ginny says, placing her foot on his injured shoulder; encouraging the knife to drive deeper into his flesh. Marcus cries out.

"Kill me. Kill me!"

Ginny cocks her head to the side, curious.

"I'm not going to kill you." she says after a moment. "That would show you mercy which you certainly do not deserve."

"Please, kill me! Please!" Marcus shouts, the knife driving deeper still.

"Now you want mercy?" Ginny asks, removing her foot. Marcus' whimpers do not sadden her - they make her angry instead. "You didn't show anyone else mercy. You have always wanted to kill. Well, now I give someone else the opportunity to kill you."

Marcus becomes quiet as he looks at Ginny with his eyes steadily growing wider. She points her wand at him and a white light flickers at the tip for a moment.

"Obliviate."

A blank look covers Marcus' face as his memories are taken from him. After a minute, Ginny drops her arm. She crouches beside Marcus, confusion now on his face.

"Welcome to the Hunger Games, Marcus. A place where everyone meets their fate... including you."

Without explaining further, Ginny stands and walks back the way she came.

She could feel guilty about erasing years of his memories, but she doesn't. He is no longer a threat to her, to them, and their survival. She can now do what she needs to without being concerned about his position; whether he is about to strike and murder them.

As she returns back to the cornucopia, she send up a few sparks of green light to attract the other Tributes roaming the arena whilst keeping an eye on her surroundings. The trees do not move, a light breeze making no difference to the deadly stillness.

"Ginny?" Celaena's voice is too loud, certainly making her a target. She runs towards her friend but cannot see her. "Ginny?!"

The voice is above her. Ginny looks up to see a bird staring her down before once again saying her name, using Celaena's voice.

"That is not possible." Ginny says, under her breath. "That cannot be possible."

A hand lands on her shoulder, shocking her, and she quickly turns around, ready to attack.

"It's okay." Toby says, catching Ginny's wrist before her fist connects with his face. She scans him for a moment, ensuring it isn't a delusion. "It's alright. It's me." She looks at him for a moment before looking at the bird once more.

"Jabberjay - creation of the Capitol. They mimic voices." Toby explains, lacing the fingers of his left hand and with those of her right. He tugs her along, moving back towards the cornucopia where they know they can easily defend themselves.

"How is that possible?" Ginny asks, moving her eyes from the jabberjay to Toby's.

"No idea but a very good idea to avoid those - Capitol mutts are unpredictable in the Games. The jabberjays could easily record what we are saying and report back to the other Tributes; making it easier to kill us."

Ginny nods before resting her head on Toby's shoulder, drawing in warmth and comfort from him.

"Are you alright, Gin?" he asks, softly.

"Just fed up of these Games. I now know what everyone means when they say that the Games change you - I have killed people and that isn't me."

"Hey," Toby stops them so he can look at her in the eye. "the Games force you to make a choice; you either kill, or be killed. No one likes to kill but sometimes it is necessary to protect those we love."

Toby places a hand on Ginny's cheek, his thumb swiping gently left and right.

"You are protecting us so we can go home - and I love you for that."

Ginny's eyes widen and she blushes, the rose tint scattering on her cheeks and ears.

"You love me?" she asks and laughs when Toby shrugs with a single shoulder.

"Maybe." he says, teasing her.

Ginny smiles widely before she presses her lips against Toby's. A branch cracks behind them and they jump apart, looking at each other for a moment before jogging back to their friends.

...

"What did you do to him then, if you didn't kill him?" Killigan asks, handing Ginny a packet of dried meats. He gives the last one in his hand to Toby before sitting back down and opening his own.

"Thank you. I removed his memories from the past few years and then just left him there. I thought those green sparks would attract others to him and finish the job."

"Why not just kill him?" Lucille asks flippantly, earning her a stern glance from fellow Slytherin, Celaena. "What?"

"He begged for mercy and I refused to give him that." Ginny says before putting a piece of meat in her mouth and chewing on it.

"He was a snake." Tilly says. "I never did like him; he was horrible to a lot of people in the Hufflepuff common room because they were more reserved than he was. I think you did very good."

Ginny smiles weakly at the Hufflepuff before her. "Thank you."

"No, thank you Ginny." Killigan says, Lucille nodding in agreement beside him.

"Why?"

"We are one step closer to getting home now." Lexa says, a small smile present.

"Not quite-"

Ginny is cut off by the sound of the cannon.

"Well, I guess we are now." Ginny says and continues to eat, falling in and out of the conversation before her.

...

"Gin, can you come here please?" Toby asks from the very back of the interior of the cornucopia - their area.

Ginny stands, patting Lexa's shoulder in apology since she was using Ginny's legs as a pillow. A grumbled, " _I was comfortable there_." from Lexa follows Ginny as she walks.

"Is something wrong?" she asks, worry settling in. However, it fades when she sees a bright smile on his face. "What is it?"

"Close your eyes." Toby says, his unexpected happiness a huge surprise to her.

"Do I have to?" Ginny asks, raising an eyebrow. She resists the temptation to cross her arms over her chest.

"You trust me, right?"

"Of course! You know I do." Ginny says, only now noticing that Toby has his hands behind his back.

"Close your eyes then."

Ginny sighs but complies with Toby's request. She hears some movement and a small metallic tap before hearing an, " _Ah ha!_ ".

"Alright, you can open your eyes now."

Ginny complies again and her eyes widen at what Toby is now holding in his hands.

"Is... is that what I think it is?" she asks, a smile blooming. Toby shrugs and pushes his hands forward.

"I don't know. What do you think it is?" Toby teases. Ginny steps forward and looks inside the large silver goblet that rests in Toby's hands.

"How did you manage to conjure up butterbeer in here?!" Ginny asks, grabbing the goblet to ensure it is real and not an illusion.

"I've been practising since we were back at Hogwarts. You have always told me that though you do not have it often, you absolutely love butterbeer. I tried harder today - more so since you mentioned that you were craving one - and I had success."

Ginny leans forwards and presses her lips against Toby's quickly. When she withdraws, she takes a large gulp of the butterbeer and sighs in delight.

"It tastes better than I remember." she says, taking another gulp before licking her lips of any butterbeer remnants. Her eyes soften as she looks at Toby again. "Thank you so much. It is like a small piece of home."

Toby smiles sadly before embracing Ginny.

"I knew you would appreciate it. I know that you are missing your family and giving you a drink is not much in comparison but-"

"Toby, it is perfect." Ginny interrupts, pulling back and placing a hand on his cheek. "It means more than I can say."

Toby smiles and leans in. Before they can kiss, however, a voice stops them.

"Come on out, lovebirds!" Lexa shouts and the rest of them laugh, Ginny and Toby included.

"We had better go back through." Toby says and Ginny places a quick kiss on his forehead.

"Thank you again. Thank you so much." Ginny says, softly.

"My pleasure."

Ginny gives Toby a smile before turning around.

"Hey guys! You'll never guess what I've got!"

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	9. Chapter 9 - Unspeakable Yet Lifesaving

**A/N: Hello! Another month, another chapter! This chapter is being posted a day early as I am super busy tomorrow and I do not want to keep it any longer since these are once a month updates!**

 **T** **hank you for your previous reviews and kind messages - they mean the world! This chapter is a bit shorter than the others but I am pretty happy with how it turned out and I hope you will be too!**

 **Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

Three days suspiciously pass calmly. The most exciting thing to happen was sighting Brendol on the edge of the forest during their daily patrol of the forest's edge. Ginny had been determined that he would come out and talk to them but once he disappears and does not come out again, her hopes are dashed.

Killigan, now fully recovered, makes regular trips to the edge of the forest with Lexa for dry sticks and leaves to fuel their fire for when they eat and for throughout the night when the temperature drops. They report back on their return of any changes they have noticed, dropping the fuel into a pile just outside the cornucopia against its wall.

"There seems to be more mutts moving around out there." Killigan says, looking at Ginny and moving out of Lucille's way so she can make dinner for everyone. "I swear that they are getting bigger too."

"Do you think we should try shooting one? We are running low on the meat reserves we were given and the crackers won't last much longer." Lexa comments, constructing some of the sticks into a tent shape so the fire can be lit. She glances back at her friends before focusing on her task.

"Observe them tomorrow." Ginny suggests, sparing a look up from her place on the floor where she is polishing and sharpening her blades with a clean cloth and a rock. "They may eat poisonous berries and plants so eating it would just result in killing ourselves. For now, we still have plenty of rice and dried foods we can eat in the containers."

Tilly nods at Ginny's words before looking towards the back of cornucopia; towards the person hidden back there. She furrows her brow and her gaze then returns to Ginny.

"What exactly has he been doing for the past few days? I practically have not seen him today." she asks. Ginny places the blade and cloth down in her lap before waving Tilly over to her side of the cornucopia. When she is sitting beside her, she whispers into the Hufflepuff's ear - cautious of the various cameras and microphones hidden everywhere.

"Toby had an idea. He managed to conjure up a butterbeer for me, as you know, and believes he could do something else." Ginny says.

Tilly narrows her eyes.

"Has he managed anything else then? We have barely seen him and if we do, he is so busy that he doesn't notice us."

Ginny draws back for a moment, her gaze drawn to where Toby is hidden away before she gets close to Tilly again.

"He has managed a few books, his scarf and his robes." Ginny mumbles. Her eyes once again drift to where Toby is and they widen slightly when she sees that the pile of black where his robes sit has heightened greatly. "I stand corrected. A few books, his scarf and apparently _all_ of our robes now."

Tilly quickly turns and notices the pile for herself. She whistles low under her breath, impressed.

"Has he tried anything to help get us out of here?" Celaena whispers, sitting on Ginny's left side, having heard a snippet of the conversation as she put her knife away in her rucksack behind them.

Ginny shrugs and then thinks for a moment. "I think he is working up to larger objects. We can all fly so I believe that he will try to conjure our brooms and we can fly out of here."

Celaena nods before standing and going behind Tilly. She places her hand on her shoulder and squeezes it.

"Could you help me and Luc make dinner? It will get it done quicker and it needs to be done quickly because I am famished right now." she asks, moving round to stand in front of Tilly.

Tilly and Ginny laugh at Celaena for a moment before the Hufflepuff sticks out her hand.

"Alright," Tilly consents. "but you have to pull me up." Celaena rolls her eyes with a dramatic sigh before tugging on Tilly's hand and swiftly setting her on her feet. They give a small wave and a smile to Ginny before going to grab some food to heat on the now steadily growing fire.

Ginny stands, hands her polishing cloth and stone to Killigan who has his broad blade across his lap, and walks to the back of the cornucopia.

Toby is sitting cross legged on the floor, his brows furrowed in concentration, wand gripped tightly in his right hand whilst his left rests on his knee. His eyes are screwed closed as his brain whirrs over the spells encased there.

Ginny watches him as he mumbles an incantation, flicking his wrist. She smiles when a tankard of butterbeer appears in front of him. His eyes open and he smiles in triumph at his success before him.

"Not bad." Ginny says and moves to sit beside Toby, mirroring his posture. "You should take a break; Tilly mentioned earlier that you have not stopped today and she has not seen you."

Toby turns to look at Ginny before resting his head on her left shoulder.

"I need to keep trying. We all deserve to go home and we cannot do that if we have no way of leaving this bloody place."

Toby's voice raises in volume but remains quiet enough that, hopefully, the Gamemakers will not pick up much of the conversation.

"I know it is frustrating but you are making progress, Toby." Ginny says, her voice soft and her hand gripping his arm in comfort.

"The Gamemakers know something is up." Toby says, lifting his head and clenching his jaw as he stares at the wall in front of him. "Three days like this are completely unheard of. They are either waiting to see what we are doing or they have something planned."

Ginny sighs. "We are all on high alert. I went out with Celaena and Lucille to scout the inner perimeter of the forest and did notice a few scuffled tracks on our way but assumed it was thanks to the animals here. It could be that the other Tributes out there are getting antsy."

"Did you see anyone?" Toby asks, twisting his wand in his hands. He looks at Ginny, turning slightly to face her better, who bites on her lower lip for a moment.

"I saw Brendol from a distance and hoped he would come and see us but there has been no sign of him since." Ginny looks down at her hands, a small frown present.

Toby nods slowly, remembering how common it is for Tributes to do such things near the end of the Games.

"Did you see anyone else?" he asks.

"Lucille thought she saw someone running for a moment but we couldn't see anything when she pointed out where." Ginny says then shrugs. Toby sighs before gripping his wand tight. Ginny notices his knuckles go white. "What are you trying to conjure up? You have each of our robes here so clearly you are getting better and more precise."

Toby shrugs this time. "When I am out there on watch, I practise disapparating from one side to the other but I cannot focus enough to do it."

"You will get there." Ginny assures, squeezing Toby's arm gently with the hand resting there. "You always do."

"But that does not help us get out of here, Gin." Toby says, waving his wand and making the butterbeer disappear.

"I know." Ginny says, her voice soft again. She rests her forehead against his temple for a second before drawing back, whilst remaining close. "I know."

Toby looks at Ginny, giving her a small smile before tenderly pressing his lips against hers.

A series of shouts and screeches capture their attention, pulling them apart. In an instant, Toby and Ginny are on their feet and rushing towards the mouth of the cornucopia where the others are.

"Is everyone alright?" Ginny asks, clipping her knife belt on hastily and readying herself for a potential attack. She checks her pocket and ensures that her wand is there.

"It isn't us." Lex says, pointing outwards. "It is out there."

Ginny scans over their group and her eyes grow wide as her heart drops down to her boots.

"Where's Tilly?" she asks and immediately everyone tenses.

"She said she was getting more wood." Lucille says, her voice quivering as she looks outside before staring back at Ginny. "I thought she came back."

The sound of the cannon goes off, drawing everyone's attention out into the darkness and the screaming gets louder. Ginny takes hold of her wand and runs out into the centre.

"Lumos." The light from her wand isn't strong enough to see what is going on as she keeps moving. She turns to her left and starts moving towards the screaming. She stops after a few paces. "Lumos maxima!"

The section of the arena before her suddenly lights up as an orb of light hangs above them and Ginny sees a body being fought over between three mutts; the only type they have seen around the arena that look like decomposing badgers. Her eyes shift to her right as she feels Toby stop beside her and she sees Elizabeth, District Eleven Ravenclaw and Panem originator, beside Brendol; both covered in blood, which looks like their own, and being cornered to a tree as more mutts surround them.

Ginny is prepared to run in and try to save them but Toby holds her back, his eyes trained on the mangled body which the mutts are still fighting over. Despite the torn apart state of the body, the victim's face is still clear; her eyes wide and lifeless, her jaw slack in an empty scream...

Tilly.

Ginny continues to struggle against Toby's grip but some of the fight leaves her when the boom of the cannon echoes in the air. Her eyes dart back to the other mutts to see one ripping Elizabeth's throat out; the blood flooding out and staining the grass around her now forever prone body.

She looks up and sees Brendol slashing at a mutt when it gets too close to him. He has four mutts cornering him further. She tries to go to him but Toby pulls her back.

"Let me help him." Ginny pleads and Toby pulls her back a couple of steps. "Please."

"If I let you go, I will lose you." Toby says, his voice breaking slightly. "I cannot, will not, let that happen."

"Toby, please." Ginny tries again but Toby tugs her back further against his chest and continues stepping back slowly.

"I cannot risk your life. The Games make us do unspeakable, yet lifesaving, things. I vowed to protect you and I always will." Toby says. He stops and Ginny looks up at him. The light from the tips of their wands illuminates his face and she sees the fear and guilt there.

The cannon goes off and suddenly there is complete silence. The orb of light continues to hang over the mutts who have ceased their attack and are now staring at the pair who, out of fear, are staring straight back at them; refusing to make any sudden movements. It lasts for a few tense moments before the mutts slowly look down and then retreat back into the forest.

Ginny releases her breath and her knees weaken. Were it not for Toby's embrace, she would easily fall to the ground.

Footsteps sound behind them and Toby sees the distraught look on Lucille's face and the sadness in Celaena's eyes as the two Slytherin's join them. He looks back at the cornucopia and sees Killigan holding Lexa by the fire.

"This is my fault." Lucille says as she takes in the mangled bodies before her. "I should have made sure she returned."

Celaena quickly hugs her fellow Slytherin, offering her some comfort.

"This was in no way your fault." Celaena says with conviction. "She walked off out there, on her own, when she told us that she was just getting more wood for the fire."

"I should not have let her go out there alone." Lucille argues, stepping out of Celaena's arms and walking back to the cornucopia.

The sound of the hovercraft appears and Toby guides Ginny back to the cornucopia, Celaena beside him.

"Nox." Ginny mumbles and both the orb and their wands extinguish, allowing the darkness to take over.

...

They don't watch as the hovercraft takes away the torn bodies of their friends forever.

They don't watch when the Capitol anthem is played for the first time in days and their friend's healthy and untarnished faces appear as if to haunt them.

They don't talk to each other; instead, eating and sitting in silence as guilt and grief takes over and creates a tense atmosphere for all.

...

Ginny cannot stop witnessing the mutt attack and the broken bodies on the ground. Nor can she stop hearing Toby's words, over and over.

 _The Games make us do unspeakable, yet lifesaving, things._

The young witch cannot help but continuously run those line over in her mind, constantly on repeat.

 _...unspeakable, yet lifesaving, things._

She has not saved any lives. She has only taken them.

The Games have turned her into something she feared from the second they entered the arena.

A murderer.

Ginny Weasley has become a murderer ... and the Capitol will love her for it.

 **End note: Please review! :)**


	10. Chapter 10 - The Final Showdown

**A/N: Well, here we are - the final chapter has arrived! Thank you so much for all of the support you have given me for the duration of this story. It has certainly been an interesting journey!**

 **Thank you for your reviews too - you have been so kind and simply amazing!**

 **Enjoy this last chapter!**

 **Arwen4eva xxx**

Leaving the group in the middle of the night is an extremely dangerous and a complete heat of the moment thing; Ginny knows that. But it does not stop her.

She has her weapons scattered across her body; her knives encased in their belts which are attached to her hips and thighs, a sword swinging in its scabbard from her side, a quiver filled with arrows and her bow on her back - accompanied by her rucksack filled with her supplies - and her wand clenched in her hand, the tip dully glowing to illuminate the dark within the small space.

Ginny moves to the mouth of the cornucopia before turning around to look at the sleeping forms of her friends.

 _'This is for the_ best.' she thinks, trying to convince herself further that leaving is the right choice. _'This is how I protect them; get them home.'_

Her eyes land on each person, each friend, a silent apology running through her head. Since the Reaping, she has grown close to everyone in their group. They have all been there for each other -supporting, caring and saving.

But it cannot be that way any more.

Ginny's eyes finally land on Toby, her usual place beside him empty since she is meant to be on guard duty. Her heart clenches and her stomach drops at the thought of leaving him and she wishes that she could just drop everything and curl into his warm embrace, just like they do every night.

"I love you, Toby; and I'm so sorry." she whispers before turning around and running away; knowing that if she goes any slower, she would surely change her mind and go back.

...

"Immobulus!" Ginny shouts, pushing down yet another mutt as she ventures deeper into the woods, dawn breaking over the horizon. "Bloody animals." she mutters before continuing.

She walks forward, her gaze drifting to her left to spot any more incoming mutts when suddenly the ground beneath her disappears and a cage of rope surrounds her.

"What the-?!" she exclaims and hears a manic laugh from below. Ginny struggles to plant her feet in the trap but when she does, she spots the source of the chuckle. "Bridget."

"Indeed." the District Two Panem originator says, a large grin on her lips. She claps her hands gleefully and Ginny takes a moment to wonder if the girl before her has gone completely mad. "I must say, I am surprised."

"Why?" Ginny finds herself asking, but not overly interested in the answer.

"I thought I would have to hunt you down for a while before I could kill you, but you made it easy for me thanks to your stupidity." Bridget giggles.

"Get on with it then." Ginny says, basically giving up.

"What? No amazing escape? No terrible fight?" Bridget pouts mockingly.

Ginny grips her wand in her hand tighter, hidden behind her back. She remains silent and Bridget laughs again, accompanied by more clapping.

"You know, I have been looking forward to this since the Games began - I wanted to be the one to kill you." Bridget says, extracting her blade from beneath her jacket. "I will not allow you to deprive me of my victory over you, or the rest of the group you have abandoned."

Bridget moves forward before cutting the rope that is keeping Ginny suspended. Ginny falls swiftly to the ground, landing awkwardly on her side which makes her breathless and shoots a vicious pain across her ribs.

 _'Crap. The last thing I need is broken bloody ribs.'_ Ginny thinks, pushing back her pain to stand on her feet. She grips her wand tighter whilst extracting one of her blades from her hip. She tries to catch her breath as Bridget lunges forward, slashing her small sword.

Ginny manages to dodge just in time, stepping to her right and receiving a cut on her arm, tearing the fabric of her jacket sleeve. Bridget then lunges again, this time aiming to stab Ginny in the heart but she once again moves, receiving a cut on her cheek now.

Bridget growls and raises her blade threateningly.

"Reducto!" Ginny shouts suddenly, her voice still breathless, and she watches as Bridget's weapon shrinks to the size of a needle. Fire blazes in the Tribute's eyes and she growls again.

"How dare you?!" she yells before suddenly coughing violently. The sounds that she makes cause Ginny to take a few steps back.

One of Bridget's hands cradle her chest whilst the other claws at her throat, the force of her coughs visibly weakening her.

"Bridget?"

The girl in question drops to her knees, still coughing. Blood bubbles forth from her mouth and after another moment, the coughing stops and Bridget falls onto her back, breathing heavily.

"What caused this?" Ginny asks, kneeling beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know, but thank you." Bridget mumbles. Ginny furrows her brow, unaware of Bridget's moving hand.

"Thank you? What for?" Ginny asks, confused.

"This."

In less than a second, pain explodes in Ginny's stomach and she cries out, falling backwards, jolting her broken ribs. Bridget laughs before it turns into coughs once more.

Ginny's hand shakes above one of her throwing knives which is now buries in her stomach, blood already soaking through her shirt.

"Shit!" Ginny exclaims. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"If I cannot survive this, then neither can you." Bridget wheezes, unable to catch her breath as blood drips from her mouth. "You cannot protect them."

"When you die, Bridget, it is only us left. We will go back home." Ginny says, her hand going around the hilt of the knife.

"You are never going home, Weasley. I've made sure of that."

With a loud cry, Ginny rips the blade from her body before moving lightning fast, pressing the tip against Bridget's neck.

"Then let me return the favour." Ginny hisses before drawing it across Bridget's throat, blood pouring out.

Ginny feels nothing as she watches the girl before her choke on her own blood. She feels nothing when the cannon blasts to signify yet another death; another by her hand.

She only feels numb.

The grip on her wand falters as her other hand goes over her wound, a weak attempt at holding in her escaping blood, her draining life.

Somehow, Ginny gets to her feet. Somehow, Ginny begins to move. Somehow, she feels strangely at peace despite the debilitating pain across her torso.

Toby's voice reaches her ears but she dismisses it; believing it to be her mind playing cruel tricks on her as she becomes more lightheaded, more disorientated wit the quick and large loss of blood.

She hears him call again and she stumbles, tears stinging her eyes.

 _'It cannot be him. It can't be.'_ she tells herself. Her fingers become slick with her blood, coating the palm of her hand completely.

Her knees give out, her body crashes to the floor. Her vision clears as the tears run down her face. Ginny hears Toby's voice again, clearer this time. She turns her head and sees him dismounting his broom, running towards her.

 _'That definitely isn't him.'_ she thinks dejectedly. She closes her eyes to block out the vision of the boy she loves.

"Gin? Ginny!" Toby shouts, dropping to his knees and hovering his hand over the wound on her stomach. He observes the cut on her face and arm too, noting how minor they are compared to the one on her stomach. He isn't aware of her broken ribs, his focus falling on her blood.

"You aren't really here." Ginny croaks. "Let me die in peace."

"Ginny Weasley, you are not dying in this bloody arena!" Toby exclaims, pushing on the wound to try and stop the bleeding; making her cry out loudly. "I promised that I would get you home, and I will."

Ginny opens her eyes and is met by Toby's panicked features.

"It is really you?"

"It's really me." Toby confirms, bringing Ginny to a sitting position. "Now, we need to get back to the cornucopia so we can go home."

"Do you mean that?" Ginny asks. Toby helps her to stand and steadies her when she sways on the spot.

"We are going home, Ginny." Toby says before picking up his broom. "Come on, the others are waiting for us."

...

When they land at the cornucopia, Ginny is fighting to stay awake and the pain is threatening to consume her completely. The others have all donned their House robes and have their broom in their hand.

Lexa runs forward, stripping Ginny of her rucksack and bow and quiver before putting her robe on, being extra careful when she sees the wound and the clear, undisguised pain on her friend's face. She hands Ginny her Firebolt, putting her wand inside the robe to ensure she doesn't accidently lose it, before placing her hand on her upper arm.

"Hold on, Ginny. We will get you to Madame Pomfrey in no time. She will fix you up." Lexa says before mounting her broom.

"Just like Quidditch guys!" Celaena shouts, rising up in the air, followed by the others. "As fast as you can. Stay close and remember... we will be the winners of this game. Hogwarts is the snitch."

Quickly they all take off and fly around the arena, remaining close to each other; scouting for a good exit point.

"Toby!" Killigan shouts, gaining his attention before pointing straight ahead at a good gap between trees. Toby nods, leading them around the arena one last time.

"All together!" Toby commands, raising his wand. "Three, two, one... Now!"

"Stupefy!"

The barrier in front of them shatters and they fly through the gap.

Finally free.

...

"Where are we going?" Celaena asks, her Slytherin robes flapping behind her as they speed away on their brooms.

"Far enough away to get home." Toby says, vague in his words to not show his uncertainty.

"We have a problem guys!" Lucille exclaims as bright lights flare up in front of them.

"Huddle!" Toby shouts and they all migrate together. Ginny's grip slips on her broom and Lexa moves over so she can help her.

"Escaping the Games is impossible." a voice booms from below; President Snow. "If you come back now, the Games will continue and one of you can go home. Or, you refuse and you all die right here, right now."

The group look at each other, knowing they would rather die together.

Within seconds, bullets begin to fly up towards them. One immediately hits Toby in his right shoulder and he feels something spark inside of him, something other than the pain.

Fear.

But also anger.

Together, these emotions spark something else...

Magic.

"Hold on to each other." he orders and everyone does, ensuring that they are connected.

And then?

Then, they disapparate.

...

They all end up on the grass but any panic is washed away at the most amazing sight they never thought that they would never see again...

Hogwarts.

"Well, look at that. We caught the snitch!" Lucille exclaims and cheers with Celaena, grabbing hold of one another and holding the other close.

Killigan simply stares up at the school, not believing that they actually made it back alive. Lexa and Toby go to Ginny, standing her up and placing each of her arms around their shoulders. Seeing this, Killigan quickly snaps out of his daze and takes over from Toby.

"That shoulder needs attention, mate." he says. "Let's not make it worse."

Toby nods and they all set off for the hospital wing, moving as quickly as they dare to. Celaena and Lucille gather everyone's brooms into their arms before frantically following, praying that their friend will be okay.

...

"She needs plenty of rest." Madame Pomfrey instructs, placing the covers over Ginny more firmly as she sleeps - an effect of the potion to help her heal. Her gaze goes to Toby and she adjusts his sling so it sits better around his neck. "You need to be careful too. But, you will both be fine."

Toby smiles slightly. "Thank you."

Madame Pomfrey nods before moving towards the door to the hospital wing. Once she leaves, Toby sits in the chair beside Ginny's bed. He looks up at the other four, his gaze landing on the bandages on their arms.

"We had the trackers from the arena removed." Lexa explains. "You passed out by that point but yours has been done too."

"Are you guys alright?" Toby asks.

Lucille smiles before shrugging her shoulders. "Not a scratch on us."

"No," Toby shakes his head, his gaze drifting down to his hand. "are you _alright_?"

The others realise what he means and they all take a deep breath.

"We will be." Lexa says, her voice hopeful. "If we stick together, we ae going to be just fine."

"I do hope so." an older voice sighs and the students all turn to look at Professor McGonagall. "It is my fault that this happened. I am truly sorry."

"No, Professor," Toby interjects, standing. He moves towards her. "I don't want to hear any apologies from you. It has never been, nor will it ever be, your fault. We are here now. We just regret that we could not bring more back with us."

McGonagall places her wrinkled hand on Toby's good shoulder.

"You are truly a marvel, Toby. Your friends are lucky to have you."

Toby shakes his head. "That isn't true."

"Minerva McGonagall only speaks the truth." a woman says as she walks briskly into the room. She is followed by a group of people, all ginger haired. "I'm Molly Weasley, dear." She holds out her hand.

Toby takes it but is then drawn into a tender hug by the kind woman.

"I can never thank you enough for taking care of my little girl." Molly says. Toby pats Molly's back before withdrawing from the hug.

"She took care of me too. We offered each other protection and that will never change. It is what you do without a second thought when you love someone."

Molly brushes away her tears and pats Toby's cheek.

"You are wonderful. Feel free to join us at the Burrow at any time. It would be delightful to have you with us."

"Thank you, Mrs Weasley."

"No, none of that." Molly lovingly scolds. "It is Molly."

"Thank you, Molly." Toby says. He moves out of the way, followed by the others to give Ginny and her family some space.

"Everything was worth it after seeing that, don't you think?" Lexa says, looping her arm in Killigan's as they stand together.

Toby looks over at his sleeping love surrounded by her family and he cannot help but smile despite all they have been through.

"Indeed it was." Toby whispers. "And she will always will be worth it."

 **Final end note: Please review! :)**


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